It could easily be Banksy or an imitator. Given the consistency of the themes and delivery, coupled with the anonymity of Banksy himself, it seems to make little difference. I would like to see multiple "Banksys" in many different cities, stirring up art crime trouble. It's fun!
After a good night sweat last night I think someone bought a Banksy graffiti starter kit off eBay. It's just not new stuff and no where near as awesome as what he did in San Francisco.
my guess is it is tied to Banksy, but odds are it wasn't done by his hand. He is in the position to be able to send out others to do his dirty work these days. Plus I could see the film studio (secretly) being behind this, much like the ATHF Moonites a few years back.
Lacking site specificity and (insert other many red flags here) = dubious. Although, plagiarizing an plagiarist is pretty f'n awesome at any rate!
Banksy Rules!
So, you are all missing the effing point. Banksy not Banksy. It's art and its getting publicity. Who cares who did it. If there is a nationwide movement of people who are secretly beautifying our world and asking questions noone else is how can that be other than wonderful?
Fantom's right! It doesn't matter who the artist arting all over town is, it only matters that someone arted the art in the first place. Someday it will rain on little girls and monkeys will rule the world and we will all be better prepared because someone, maybe Banksy, arted a warning for our benefit. It's like the bumper sticker says, Art Saves Lives!
I assume at this point that Banksy rarely if ever actually gets his hands dirty. I don't doubt those exist because of Banksy, but I would guess at this point he has someone doing the actual spraying.
I read an interview with someone purporting to speak on behalf of Banksy who said Banksy always asks permission. It was on the internet, so it must be true. . .
I'm with ll the folks who say, Banksy or not, it's art and it's getting press and maybe more people will follow suit.
While done in the style, Bansky often announces his/her/their presence with a LARGE statement, often encompassing the entire wall of a multi-story building. Until I see that I will continue to believe copycat(but a good one).
To me- Banksy is a modern day Duchamp and I would love nothing more than to believe he graced our great city with his presence... so that is what i'm choosing to believe. I just made the rounds to his work in SF- and it gives me butterflies to see his work in public- doused in bum's urine or not.
He painted a landscape-as-seen-through-a-faux-hole in the wood fence that separates me from my neighbor. My dog ran into it.
[shaking fist] "BANK-SYYYYY!"
http://xmitter.cc/2010/07/banksy-elephant-…
Banksy Rules!
What you have there is what is known in the graff world as good ol' fashioned "biting".
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vulgarcrimina…
I'm with ll the folks who say, Banksy or not, it's art and it's getting press and maybe more people will follow suit.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-gran…