Global Graphica

FOA! = “full of awesome!” The 2010 costume of George Schnakenberg, a 3D, living replica of Banky’s famous “flower-thrower” stencil street-art piece. (Thanks, Richard!)

Flavorpill has an excellent, thorough recap of the greatest Banksy pranks and controversies (“so far”). Great reading.

Reports have been flooding in the past couple of weeks that anonymous U.K. artist and director Banksy allegedly put up at least five pieces of street art in Park City, Utah, while he was in town to screen and promote his documentary film at the annual Sundance FIlm Festival.

The movie “Exit Through the Gift Shop” screened to much critical acclaim, but it’s now been revealed that its last-minute inclusion in the event was on condition that the artist not put up illegal graffiti artwork on public or private property, i.e., vandalism, while in town to attend the festival.

But at current count five works of art have been discovered in and around Park City that bear Banksy’s unique style, though some have speculated the work is at the hands of copycats or an attempt by hired promotional guns (not Banksy himself) to stir up yet more publicity for the film. In any event , the street-art has been removed, but you can see pictures of it across the InterWeb.

Verdict: FOA … Full of Awesome.

There’s been a lot of buzz the past week about Banksy, the anonymous and at times controversial street artist. His foray into documentary filmmaking Exit Through the Gift Shop got tons of press at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. Now the venerable BBC reports that his movie will screen at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival this month, though it will not be in competition for a prize.

New York street art: Looking north across Houston Street from SoHo, sky graff (big “Lansky” tag near the top of the tenement building) in the heart of Greenwich Village. Lansky, BTW, is also the name of a famous Lower East Side gangster of yesteryear.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: Looking north across Houston Street from SoHo, sky graff (big “Lansky” tag near the top of the tenement building) in the heart of Greenwich Village. Lansky, BTW, is also the name of a famous Lower East Side gangster of yesteryear.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: And one more shot of the closed, covered-up store front for the recent Banksy “Pet Shop” exhibition in the West Village. More about the exhibition in this recent New York Times article.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: Another shot of the closed, covered-up store front for the recent Banksy “Pet Shop” exhibition in the West Village. More about the exhibition in this recent New York Times article.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: The closed, covered-up store front for the recent Banksy “Pet Shop” exhibition in the West Village. More about the exhibition in this recent New York Times article.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: Wider, contextual shot of the “There’s no such thing as good publicity” painting by Banksy on the side of a tenement building on Houston Street in SoHo.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: A slightly wider shot of the “There’s no such thing as good publicity” painting by Banksy on the side of a tenement building on Houston Street in SoHo.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: Another medium shot of the “There’s no such thing as good publicity” painting by Banksy on the side of a tenement building on Houston Street in SoHo. The artwork is a cheeky comment on Fox News — note the Fox logo in the bottom-right corner of the picture. The painting appears to be covering over a fake Fox billboard.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: Close-up shot of the “There’s no such thing as good publicity” painting by Banksy on the side of a tenement building on Houston Street in SoHo.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: Detail of the Fox logo from the “There’s no such thing as good publicity” painting by Banksy on the side of a tenement building on Houston Street in SoHo. The artwork is in part a cheeky comment on Fox News.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: “There’s no such thing as good publicity” painting by Banksy on the side of a tenement building on Houston Street in SoHo. The artwork is a cheeky comment on Fox News — note the Fox logo in the bottom-right corner of the picture. The painting appears to be covering over a fake Fox billboard. This work is among a recent series of large-scale pieces by Banksy in New York City. The murals feature the artist’s often-used rat images. The massive paintings were created by the British artist around the time of his “Pet Shop” exhibition in the city.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: “Let Them Eat Crack” by Banksy.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: British artist Banksy’s “Let Them Eat Crack.”


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: Detail from “Let Them Eat Crack” by Banksy in SoHo.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: “Let Them Eat Crack” by Banksy at another angle, this one looking north across Hester Street, west of Broadway.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images

New York street art: Banksy’s “Let Them Eat Crack” in SoHo.


© Ivan Corsa Photo – Street Art Images