When Banksy first started getting noticed, he was kinda fun. His work was witty and playful enough to warrant the attention. However, he then started to enjoy the smell of his own bullshit and slowly turned into an art-world Bono.
From being someone who was refreshingly cheeky, he became patronising and holier than thou – just look at his intro for The Simpsons for evidence of that.
A good number of people stopped enjoying his work, yet still wondered who he might be. And he’s going to be unmasked next week by a fellow artist in an oil painting, which really, is a pretty funny way of telling everyone who he is. Fight art with more art.
Of course, part of Banksy’s schtick is how notoriously secretive he is. And now, an artist called Mason Storm is going to show us the man behind the stencils.
Banksy’s face will be portrayed in a 6ft high oil painting to be exhibited in a Gallery show in London on the 28th October 2010 at Warehouse 45 Gallery in North London in a show called ‘Revelations’.
Naturally, the papers have been ‘revealing’ Banksy for years, with no-one really giving the impression of knowing for certain whether they’re right or not. It was like the press intrigue that surrounded The Stig. When The Stig was revealed, it turned out he was a very boring looking man who looked like he could’ve been sat on the BBC Breakfast sofa talking about badminton.
It goes without saying that this unmasking of Banksy has caused quite a stir in art circles. Will this painting be a lifelike representation or will it be some bollocks statement piece? More to the point, is it ‘moral’ to out someone who has chosen to be vaguely anonymous?
A source said:
“The whole thing has kicked-off. Mason Storm has been getting death threats from people… people following him around in black Range Rovers.”
“As a result, artists have refused to have their work shown in the same galleries, some of them removing their work from galleries showcasing him.”
Mason himself states:
“After 10 years of nefarious activities and stalking I have managed to capture the illusive Banksy at work, face on and will reveal him in a new oil, hopefully finished by Sept. Don't rant it's high time the mystery was revealed!”
You can’t ever trust what an artist says because they’re all barefaced liars (and god bless them for it),? but Mason’s work has been noted (in some circles) for it’s realism.
We can only hope that isn’t some punk-ass stunt and that something really fun goes down next week. Just no deaths please.
And what is Mason Storm’s reaction to it all? Well…
Tom J says
I can’t help but agree with your assessment of Banksy. However, I don’t think it’s really fair to compare him to Bono. He may be an egotistical sell-out but unlike Bono he does actually have some talent to back it up.
Bobby Whaler says
Worst. Lipdub. Ever.
Wobby Bhaler says
Agreed. But then again, you can’t see his lips…
Oh dear says
Boring. Attention seeking prick. I pity his mum.