Banksy moves 0.8 miles away
The Art of Banksy exhibition is relocating today, 11 April, to the heart of Soho after six months on Regent Street. What’s new?
There’s still the smell of fresh paint and new books wrapped in plastic as you enter the brand-new 1,300 sqm space dedicated to street artist Banksy.
Before entering the exhibition rooms of The Art of Banksy, a mandatory stop is the museum shop overflowing with all kinds of street artist merchandise: postcards, T-shirts, or even books, all displayed on colourful boxed palettes. Not to mention the barrels of posters printed by the hundreds!
Since bursting onto the art scene in the 1990s, Banksy’s works have continued to generate conversation and sales, much to the delight of The Art of Banksy. Over 1.5 million visitors have come to see the artist’s hundred original works. The exhibition has travelled to several major cities including Auckland, Boston, Chicago, Gothenburg, Miami, San Francisco, Sydney, Tel Aviv, and Washington DC.
Michel Boersma, curator and producer of the exhibition, told BBC News: “What could be a better location for a Banksy exhibition than London’s very own bohemian hub, Soho? It remains to be seen what the difference is between Regent Street and Charing Cross Road. The exhibition is set to remain at the Charing Cross location until January 2025.
The exhibition is not authorised by the artist himself, who finds it overly commercialised and over-publicised against his will, as noted on the artist’s website: ‘Are you a company looking to licence Banksy art for commercial use? Then you’ve come to the right place — you can’t. Only Pest Control Office have permission to use or license my artwork.’ Banksy’s works are more about denouncing social and political issues than praising capitalism. Nevertheless, the exhibition seems to be winning over art enthusiasts with great attendance even on a Thursday afternoon.
Set to techno music in a dark room, Banksy’s numerous works (150) are displayed without much explanation of the artist’s intentions. Most of the works were created between the 1990s and 2010s like ‘Rude Copper’ or ‘Girl with Balloon’ in different colours.
Newer works have also adorned other parts of the walls, like ‘FCK PTN’ created in Ukraine in 2022 or ‘The Walled Off Hotel’ in Bethlehem. However, the exhibition quickly reaches its limits because street art — as the name suggests — is meant to be seen on the street. It’s therefore difficult to move entire walls, and amid photos and miniature reproductions, it’s harder to immerse oneself in the artist’s universe.
Ben Eine, printer who worked with Banksy, supplements the limited explanations with personal anecdotes that provide a glimpse into the vision of the most famous unknown artist. After so many years, the mystery surrounding his identity remains intact despite frequent speculations.
At the end of the exhibition, it is legitimate to question its ethical aspects. Banksy’s works are meant to be accessible and visible to everyone on the streets worldwide, yet here the £17.50 ticket sets a different tone — not to mention the gift shop that further capitalises on the artist’s work.
If you have more time and prefer free activities, you can still try to catch a glimpse of the artist’s latest creation in North London or spend a day in Bristol discovering the artist’s early works from his youth.”
The Art of Banksy, 100 Charing Cross Road, until January 2025
