URBAN BLIGHT

Banksy's work frequently focuses on blight and urban decay. This particular topic seems an obvious choice for a street artist as graffiti is often the subject of much aspersion in urban localities. It is apparent that Banksy is keenly aware of the importance of visual artifacts in our society as he correlates graffiti and cave art. He is appealing to the audience’s sense of reason as he virtually begs that society treat street art with the same respect afforded to historic visual artifacts – after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The pathetic appeal of some of Banksy’s work about urban decay, such as the painting of the young girl crouching on the sidewalk holding the string of her “No Hope” balloon, concentrates on the sense of despair that can be associated with living in an impoverished, over-populated environment. While other images playfully point to the random beauty to be found in a chipped façade or cracked sidewalk. The final piece in this grouping shows that Banksy is not limited by medium, nor does he only work two-dimensionally. Again he relates street art to art deemed historically significant. Taking a pile of discarded bricks from a tumbled down building Banksy has created a replica of a treasured pile of bricks, the Sphinx. This is certainly a metaphor for what is deemed trash and what is believed to be important and worth preserving.

One of the most significant debates regarding the importance of street art and its cultural relevance was recently waged in Queens, NY, at a location referred to as 5 Pointz. 5 Pointz was an unused factory originally constructed in the 1890’s. A century after its construction, permission was given by the empty buildings owner to use the structure as an authorized “canvas” for street artists, making 5 Pointz one of the most significant examples of street art and huge economic draw for the community. Unfortunately, after years of sitting on unutilized valuable real estate, the owner of 5 Pointz sold the property for re-development. Despite community protests and an international outcry, the building was recently torn down.