some sort of Banksy retrospective
Banksy focused on London in 2002 and 2003 but he also did a few pieces in Bristol and Brighton. The iconic work Pulp Fiction went up in 2002 on Old Street in Shoreditch, one of Banksy’s preferred areas in London. The Royal Guards in different areas in London are from the same period.
Banksy distributed placards with “I don’t believe in anything. I’m just here for the violence” at a May Day anti-war demonstration in London.
Banksy is definitely best known for his street art. But, during the first years of the decade of 2000, Banksy’s canvases are starting to sell well. Here are some early originals, mostly oil and acrylic on canvas.
Semipermanent was an annual art festival held in Sydney, Australia. Banksy participated with a 12-meter panel. Melbourne’s Burn Crew, Dmote of Australia, 123Klan of France and Shepard Fairey also attended.
Photos: Gary Trinh and Semi Permanent
Santa’s Ghetto was a “squat art concept store” set up at Christmas each year in different locations around London. The Dragons Bar in Shoreditch hosted the first edition.
Banksy held his first Los Angeles exhibition, “Existencilism”, at the 33 1/3 Gallery. It opened on 19 July. Some of his most iconic works saw the light, such as “Love is in the air”, “Queen Victoria”, and “Laugh Now”. A few years later, he returned to LA with Barely Legal.
Banksy’s second book sees the light in May 2002 and is heavier on rats than his first.
“Like most people I have a fantasy that all the little powerless losers will gang up together. That all the vermin will get some good equipment and then the underground will go overground and tear the city apart”
In March 2001, Banksy went to Glasgow to participate in an exhibition at The Arches, a cafe/restaurant. Very little documentation remains.
In the first years of the decade, besides UK & US, Banksy went to Barcelona, Berlin, Vienna, Tokyo, Paris and Israel, where he painted the first stencilled version of the iconic “Love is in the air”.
Banksy published his first book of four up to date: “Banging your head against a brick wall”, which contains some very well-written texts along with images of his most prominent street art and some interesting originals. 54 pages in B&W. Some curious highlights:
Banksy unofficial 