Banksy's real name is...

MookJong · 18 Jul 2008 at 14:16

Banksy just ripped off French artist "Blek le rat"...he kind of admits it too in an interview I read once.

Some of Blek's work:

Jebblehmoo · 18 Jul 2008 at 14:24

Awesome artist I think.

Shame he's revealed

but still, its nice to have a face to an anomaly

eidolon · 18 Jul 2008 at 15:05

My mates girlfriend caught him mid graffitti a few years before he really became a household name. She was walking back from the pub late at night and saw some lad doing some graffitti on a wall, she stopped and had a (drunken) conversation with him.

I love seeing his work around Bristol.

poopots · 18 Jul 2008 at 15:16

I think he's a bit of a tit to be honest.

int · 18 Jul 2008 at 15:33

What on earth do they gain from naming him? Daily Mail I assume?

iraiguana · 18 Jul 2008 at 15:34

Artist and better than most modern ones.

Burnsy2023 · 18 Jul 2008 at 15:53

I think he'll be studied for years to come and be among names like Andy Warhol. Don't see any point in naming him, what does it achieve?

Burnsy

Dj_Jestar · 18 Jul 2008 at 16:24

I like his work. Most of it raises a smile, some of it does actually make me think. I'm the least arty type you'll ever meet, so it's saying something for him to achieve that

pitchfork · 18 Jul 2008 at 16:47

Tombo said:
Art terrorism?

Something made up by boring middle class idiots who can't appreciate good art because it's been done by a graffiti artist.

I hope this aint true, banksy being anonymous is part of the art.

My mates girlfriend caught him mid graffitti a few years before he really became a household name. She was walking back from the pub late at night and saw some lad doing some graffitti on a wall, she stopped and had a (drunken) conversation with him.

Your girlfreinds got some balls, late night, ******, female and stopping talking to a lad doing some graffiti. jesus.

eidolon · 18 Jul 2008 at 17:13

pitchfork said:
Your girlfreinds got some balls, late night, ******, female and stopping talking to a lad doing some graffiti. jesus.

If you met her you'd understand how true your statement is!!

AJUK · 18 Jul 2008 at 17:46

Good, now they know who he is they can arrest him for criminal damage.

Neoni · 18 Jul 2008 at 17:52

AJUK said:
Good, now they know who he is they can arrest him for criminal damage.

Pfft, arrest him for being a art genious more like.

Logic Zero · 18 Jul 2008 at 18:13

eidolon said:
If you met her you'd understand how true your statement is!!

What? So she's actually got balls? :confused:

Ben M · 18 Jul 2008 at 18:47

Logic Zero said:
What? So she's actually got balls?

he's gay, I thought everyone knew?

MikeHunt79 · 18 Jul 2008 at 23:44

eidolon said:
I love seeing his work around Bristol.

+1

Loads of it around, shame the council has painted over some of it tho. :mad:

Sankari · 18 Jul 2008 at 23:53

MookJong said:
Banksy just ripped off French artist "Blek le rat"...he kind of admits it too in an interview I read once.

Very interesting, I had no idea! Bit of a disappointment to find that Banksy didn't come up with the "guerilla art" concept himself, but merely borrowed it from Blek le Rat.

Found this in Wikipedia:

Blek le Rat was born Xavier Prou in Paris in 1952. He studied painting and architecture. Since then he has had a great influence on today's graffiti and "guerilla art" movements. He began his artwork in Paris in 1981.

British graffiti artist Banksy has acknowledged Blek's influence saying "every time I think I’ve painted something slightly original, I find out that Blek Le Rat has done it as well, only twenty years earlier".

A very telling quote there. I guess Banksy gets top marks for candour; I mean, he rips off the other guy's work, but at least he admits it.

I still like his pieces, though.

jesta · 19 Jul 2008 at 00:46

Evangelion said:
British graffiti artist Banksy has acknowledged Blek's influence saying "every time I think I’ve painted something slightly original, I find out that Blek Le Rat has done it as well, only twenty years earlier".

A very telling quote there. I guess Banksy gets top marks for candour; I mean, he rips off the other guy's work, but at least he admits it.

I still like his pieces, though.

From that quote it seems to me he creates a piece then he finds out Blek Le Rat has done it. Wouldn't really call that ripping off the guys work.

Sankari · 19 Jul 2008 at 06:30

jesta said:
From that quote it seems to me he creates a piece then he finds out Blek Le Rat has done it. Wouldn't really call that ripping off the guys work.

He's copying Le Rat's style and original concept. That's what I'm talking about.

I didn't mean he was deliberately ripping off individual pieces.

jesta · 19 Jul 2008 at 11:08

Ahhh right I see. I apologize.

As you said at least he admits getting ideas from Le Rat.

jonesy · 19 Jul 2008 at 13:05

"whats the point in naming him?" people seem to be asking.

It sells papers, which is all they care about, people should wake up and look at newspapers as the businesses they are rather than the view they are giving a service for the publics benefit.