Squidge Magazine » bristol http://squidgemag.com A titch more than a smidgen, but slightly less than a finger Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:44:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 BANKSY vs. Bristol Museum http://squidgemag.com/2009/08/banksy-vs-bristol-museum/ http://squidgemag.com/2009/08/banksy-vs-bristol-museum/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:20:31 +0000 Lallie http://squidgemag.com/?p=631 .
banksy_vs_bristol_museum_01 I have always been a fan of graffiti art as it takes art and creativity outside the realms of the gallery or museum to confront people as they go about their daily business.  Banksy is probably the best known and ‘most overrated’ (taken from the Banksy vs. Bristol Museum exhibition leaflet, 2009) graffiti artist around and I have always loved his work.  I admit that I have often punctuated any mention or conversation of Banksy by yelling ‘sell-out’, due to the publication of Wall and Piece in 2005, however when I heard that he had returned to Bristol to takeover the town museum, I managed to shut up long enough to visit! So one overcast Friday morning we found ourselves joining an hour-long, though beautifully orchestrated queue, clutching coffees and camera.  Bristol Museum is a fantastic stone monument and one can only be pleased that Banksy decided to fill it rather than treat its facade as a canvas.  In two days Banksy managed to smuggle in over 100 artworks including a full-size, bunt-out ice cream van whose ice cream had melted out of its cone and over the van’s roof.  This sculpture greets the visitor as they enter the main hall of the museum setting the mood of subversive humour that permeates all of Banksy’s work. banksy_vs_bristol_museum_02 In a traditional museum convention statues in a classical style have been placed around the edges of this scene.  However Banksy’s statues have been altered to striking effect; one is dressed as a suicide bomber, another titled “Angel of the North” sports wings, a mini skirt, lipstick, a can and a cigarette.  Banksy uses these classical parodies to comment on the state of our culture.  The juxtaposition of white marble figures, associated with canonical artists and ancient history with terrorism and binge drinking is a an effective, if shocking way of highlighting how far civilisation has come.  Amongst these statues is also a large lion who appears to have eaten the lion-tamer leaving top hat and red jacket delicately at his feet. Banksy has taken over two further rooms of the gallery entirely for his own works.  The first contains paintings, stencil art and hand-drawn graffiti that spans the silly, amusing, political and down-right poignant.  One end of this room is given over to a model of a studio or workshop containing spray cans, gloves, artworks and ‘classic Banksy’ stencils including several versions of his monkey with differing slogans.  Over this a debate is played, staged or real, in which several men debate graffiti and its status as art or vandalism.  This is just one of the many debates that surround Banksy’s work, the latest perhaps being why a graffiti artist is taking his work out of the streets and into the museum which is governed by curatorial rules and conventions.  Graffiti looses some of its controversy when it becomes sanctioned and is certainly less of a transgression. banksy_vs_bristol_museum_03 Indeed, although Banksy decided to hold this show in the Bristol Museum, he still feels it necessary to comment on the institution of the gallery and the ‘art world’.  In one painting two stick figures discuss the fact that Banksy’s ‘art’ is on show in a gallery – “Does anyone take this kind of art seriously?” “Never under estimate the power of a big gold frame.”  Here Banksy taps into the on-going debate of what does and does not count as art, and therefore, what should be exhibited in galleries (traditionally, not graffiti).  As if to emphasise this point, the majority of Banksy’s works are hung in ornate gold frames.  “Exit through the gift shop” appears to be a direct comment on the consumerism that has permeated the art world, and the possibility that some people simply visit museums and galleries to go to the shop and buy the merchandise – got the t-shirt!  However Banksy has managed to avoid several of the conventional aspects of showing art in a museum as the exhibition is free; making it as accessible as possible, photography is allowed; Banksy does not care about copyright; and unlike other artworks in the museum Banksy has not provided explanations on white plaques next to his work. banksy_vs_bristol_museum_04 The next room is given over entirely to moving models, humourous and serious by turns.  Amongst these, the monkey presenter of many of Banksy’s political slogans is resurrected in a straw-strewn cage blinking and supposedly painting a masterpiece – what does this say about art?  In another cage, fish-fingers are swimming in a large fish bowl, and in another a life-sized white rabbit sits before a mirror contemplating her make-up.  These are beautifully made if obvious comments on contemporary society. Throughout the rest of the museum Banksy has infiltrated his work amongst the permanent collection.  Between paintings, amongst china displays and in glass cases containing stuffed animals Banksy has altered and added original paintings to the works of the museum.  Here we see his art becoming more mainstream, less graffiti-like to fit in with the existing works.  Thus Banksy has juxtaposed his street-art with canonical works.  In several paintings he has altered the viewer’s relationship to famous traditional art works by continuing the paintings outside of the frame, in one, a worker has left the painting and sits on the edge of the frame to smoke a cigarette.  Although this is a fictional scene, the lady relaxing on the frame somehow humanises the painting and allows the viewer to consider the subjects of the painting further.  In some cases Banksy has seemingly vandalised the existing paintings by painting in 21st century objects such as cars and billboards to well-known paintings.  I particularly enjoyed the painting that sets a Banksy rat rollering over the famous Damien Hirst spots.

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One drawback to this set up is that the museum becomes the scene of a scavenger-hunt as visitors attempt to see all the Banksy works, not wishing to miss any of them.  Whilst this is understandable, and perhaps when you have gone out to look at Banksy works, it is difficult to concentrate on the traditional  fine art and cases of china that are also available for viewing, it seems a bit sad to rush past Bristol’s collection for the famous Banksy.  Thus perhaps this second half would be much more effective if one did not expect to see Banksy pieces nestled amongst the permanent collection. Overall “Banksy vs. Bristol Museum” was definitely worth the wait.  It is a stunning example of humourous art that also manages to comment on politics, consumer society and the status of art in the modern world.  Banksy’s work is simple and accessible making it both effective and allowing people to engage with the pieces on many levels.  This is a fantastic opportunity to see a large amount of Banksy’s work in one place. Reassuringly, all that you can buy in the exhibition shop is the aforementioned Wall and Piece and exhibition posters.

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The Banksy vs. Bristol Museum exhibition is on until the 31st August 2009, and admission is free. For more information visit the Banksy website here.

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