Who is Banksy? Upcoming defamation case may unmask graffiti street artist

Graffiti artist named Banksy could be exposed in upcoming libel case He used Instagram to invite thieves to Guess store because it used his image without permission. The case can be seen as an attempt to force Banks to give up the anonymity that many say has been so important to his success over the years.

There has been much speculation as to the artist’s identity, with many believing him to be Bristol-based Robin Gunningham, who was named As a co-defendant in defamation proceedings. While it hasn’t been confirmed that Banks is Gunningham, pointing it out is definitely not a revelation. And, trying to figure out Banks’ identity ultimately doesn’t matter.

There are already many investigation Enter artist identity This has become a serious topic newsy and Academic It took years of investigation, but no one could definitely link Gunningham to Banks.

Without Gunningham admitting it, it’s impossible to be completely sure. But if Banks’ identity is revealed, police forces around the world could charge the man with vandalism, destruction of property, criminal mischief or more serious charges.

Gunningham’s self-revelation would also undermine Banks’ mystique.

He is less likely to blow the whistle on himself or damage the brand. It doesn’t matter that Gunningham is Banks, the more important reason is that there is no Banks – no one is Banks anyway.

a collective

Once upon a time, there was a Banksy who had a graffiti career and Subculture’s famous “beef” and London graffiti legend Robbo. That time has passed.

Banksy is a collective now Artists work together to create thoughtful, provocative and subversive works and installations. The scope and secrecy of Banksy’s large-scale works require the collaboration of many people to orchestrate, direct and produce. “amusement park” Dismaland (A sinister representation of a Disneyland-style theme park) walled hotel (Banksy’s Hotel and Commentary on the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict) In Palestine and Going out is better than coming in (Banksy’s art residence in New York) is one such example.

investigators believe The collective includes many well-known and established artists.bristol street artist johndo is one of those rumored to be involved, as are graffiti and street artists James AME72 AME Maybe Massive Attack singer Robert Del Naja, etc. This is speculation. Again, it doesn’t matter.

What matters is why Banks recently appeared in court.More important than the current defamation lawsuit EU rejects Banksy trademark in 2021.This is the result of Banksy’s struggle with the makers of street art greeting cards full color black, used Banksy’s image of a placard-wearing monkey without permission. The ruling used Banks’ own words, stating:

The ruling states that street artists have made it clear that the public is morally and legally free to copy, modify and otherwise use any copyrighted work imposed on them by a third party.

also, “Copyright belongs to losersAs Banks puts it in his 2017 book Walls and Shards.

In 2018, Banksy filed an application to declare the trademark invalid, and Banksy was very dissatisfied with this.exist October 2019At the press conference, he officially announced the gross domestic production of the “household products” brand. The store is official, but was initially launched as a pop-up and is inaccessible.

A statement posted on the pop-up “storefront” asserted that opening the Gross Domestic Product was a direct response to the trademark cancellation application and that selling Banksy “branded merchandise” was the best way to ensure ownership and control of the Banksy name. What is important here is a clear interest in maintaining control over what is and is not Banksy, and the relevance of Banksy’s artwork in commercial spaces.

professional team

Banksy fakes are everywhere. The artist’s popularity and the fact that much of Banksy’s work is a template – easily copied by anyone with talent, time and an Exacto knife – ensures that fakes and reproductions will continue to be made.To solve this problem, Banks has a group of trustworthy people Official Bansky Art Dealer and an authentication service called pest control Track down Bansky’s provenance and legitimize it.

While it’s perfectly legitimate for any artist to want to maintain their unique identity and control over their artwork, it’s rare for an artist to have an entire department dedicated to their work. It’s not that graffiti authors don’t defend their copyrights.

Ray Walker, future and rime (to name a few) defended their ownership of graffiti and artwork in court. They hired lawyers but did not have a department dedicated to prevention and prevention of infringement.

Pest Control appears to be an attempt to maintain the authenticity and unique perspective of Banksy’s work and confirm that they were officially produced by Banksy. This is a process often called brand maintenance.

So, what’s the point of all this? Well, Banksy used to be an independent busker. This could be Robin Gunningham. However, Banksy is now a group of artists who work under the Banksy brand, creating works officially named Banksys by Pest Control, a Banksy-certified service. Banksy is also a team of lawyers, art dealers and curators who ensure that only works officially associated with the Banksy brand receive the Banksy seal of approval.

None of this is a secret, but it’s not made public because being a litigious art collective dedicated as much to its art-making as its brand maintenance doesn’t evoke the image of a solitary, secretive, provocative raconteur that Banksy aspires to. . Having a team of lawyers to make sure only real Banksys are labeled as such doesn’t do much for your street cred. Still, publicly disclosing this likely won’t diminish interest in Banksy, nor will it affect the price people are willing to pay for monkey molds or monkey molds. The art of self-destruction.


Tyson Mittman is a senior lecturer in sociology and criminology, york st john university.

This article is reproduced from dialogue Licensed under Creative Commons.read Source article.

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