Banksy, pseudonym of Robin Banks, was born in Bristol, England, on July 28, 1973. His graffiti began to emerge within the Underground scene in Bristol in the late 1980s and can easily be found on the streets of his city.
In the 1990s, he drew attention for his use of stencil technique in his graffiti, where the drawing is applied through a cut in the paper that the paint will pass through. The mystery surrounding his identity is maintained with the help of a group of collaborators who even set up barriers around him so he can paint in secret.
In his works, the artist not only paints ironic figures and catchy phrases on walls and buildings but also leaves messages loaded with social and political content. Even before gaining fame, Banksy featured on the cover of the seventh studio album of the band Blur.
Banksy has left protest messages in zoo cages, such as: “I want to get out.” He painted £10 notes replacing Queen Elizabeth with Princess Diana, which were sold for £200.
In 2005, his painting of a caveman hunting a shopping cart ended up in the permanent collection of the British Museum. In 2005, Banksy painted images of a perfect world on the Palestinian side of the wall that separates the territory of Israel. In 2006, Banksy entered Disneyland in California, carrying a backpack with an inflatable doll dressed in the uniform of Guantánamo Bay prisoners, inflated the doll, and positioned it near a roller coaster.
He exhibited “Banksy vs Bristol Museum,” where his works interacted with the permanent collection. Banksy made his directorial debut at the Sundance Film Festival with the documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” which was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary.
The controversial and mysterious artist launched new protest works in the refugee camp in France, known as “The Jungle.”
Source: www.ebiografia.com, by Dilva Frazão