In the UK, social protests have taken many forms, including street art. In the past 20+years, a daring political artist has emerged on the streets of Britain. What began with graffiti, moved to stencils and installations, and over the years has culminated into creative urban exhibitions. Most of his work criticizes capitalism, war, and politics. He signs his work Banksy, but his real identity remains a mystery.
His work first appeared in Bristol around 1990, but there is not much information about his earlier days. Since moving to London around 2000, his signature stencils have risen to iconic status. With many of his pieces still intact, Banksy’s art has transformed the London landscape.
Yet, despite his fame, he remains an enigma. There are no verified photos of him. In the rare interviews he’s given to the press, Banksy has said even his family thinks he is just a painter. Due in part to his anonymity, Banksy has risen to mythic status in street art culture, with his legacy felt across the globe, but nowhere more strongly than in London.
In 2008, Banksy hosted a secret event, “Cans Festival,” as a way to celebrate the graffiti community. He invited artists from around the world to present their work. The location wasn’t revealed until the start of the event – a tunnel, under Waterloo station, one of the most trafficked in the city.
The tunnel had been used as a garage for a bus company that provided services around Europe, before the artists transformed it into a graffiti mecca. It is wonderful to the point of fantasy, to think that while people were going about their daily 9-to-5 routine, something was about to be born underground.
It is easy to miss Leake Street Arches when walking by. The tunnel doesn’t stand out from a distance, making it even more impressive upon entry. The darkness soon becomes a burst of colour and light, it would come as a big shock to those unaware of what awaits them.
The Leake Street Tunnel - also known as the "Graffiti Tunnel" or "The Bansky Tunnel"(as it is now often called) - - underwent its remarkable transformation in just a few days. The dark, grimy brick work had been transformed into a profusion of color. What would otherwise be the creepiest of place, one that you would avoid at all costs for fear of whatever nefarious characters might be lurking in this dark and cavernous underworld, is, instead, a sheer joy to encounter.
Graffiti is by nature ephemeral, vanishing from the walls, either buffed or covered by other graffiti artists. The tunnel builds on this by allowing anyone to paint. No permanence, constant change, an infinite and dynamic canvas ready to be used as a platform to communicate a message, a state of mind, a feeling. At least, for a short period of time… and then the cycle begins again. The voice goes to someone else, and every voice has a chance.
Graffiti and street art allow the appreciation of art in an informal way. And street art doesn’t discriminate. The tunnel was full of people; families painting with their kids, what appeared to be professional artists, some amateurs, art enthusiasts, and photographers. 😎
Some pieces are huge, such as this lady painted onto the tunnel ceiling. It is obvious that some take much longer to create than others, and need more than just a spray can to complete.
It struck me during my visits just how fluid this whole place is - sometimes depressingly so. For, the life span of each painstakingly created piece of art can be fleeting. In fact it can sometimes be a case of here today and gone tomorrow.
However, one artists loss is the public at largest gain, for it means that no two visits to the Leake Street / Bansky Tunnel are the same.
This tunnel was remade into an art gallery for graffiti artists from all over the world, with an open invitation to leave their mark. The Banksy Tunnel is the only spot in London where graffiti artists are tolerated to paint without a permit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have made it this far, I have a side note for you and for Nancy A., who has most recently been in the same predicament as I.
I stood around waiting for this "artist" to start paiting so that I could take a few photos of him at work. I soon realized that the artist was indeed painting but with a totally different tool than most. 🫨
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment