The Art of Banksy: Tesla Loft Budapest. August 12th 2020

https://www.theartofbanksy.hu/

Also this trailer for recent documentary on Banksy; excerpts shown in show:

Exit Through the Gift Shop https://youtu.be/JcGpNnPqCjg

I thoroughly enjoyed this show - perhaps not least as it was the first museum show I have been able to get to since lock-down relaxed somewhat - my favourite place, the Ludwig, does not open until later in September.

When reading about (it was initially announced for much earlier in the summer) I felt that it would be rather odd to see the epitome of guerrilla street art in a gallery context but this was not so. As the, thoughtfully informative guides in the show indicated, the idea of there being one sole and unique artistic work as the product of Banksy is not really what he is about; he is giving a voice to communicate and to share and the reproduction of his work, by himself and others, is, it seems, a central part of his ‘mission’ - to get people to think about and react to the world and their society and to perhaps do something about it to make the world a better place.

His art makes one think - not necessarily at length or profoundly, but it can, and does, shake one up a bit and draw attention to people and situations that one may not really have noticed before. He shines a ray of light on a vast range of aspects of life and society today. His use of humour and satire, black and otherwise, is a very important part of this as an image that makes one laugh and smile often leads one to ask’ why was that my reaction’ and from there one one might go further and think more about events and situations in the world. And anything that can make one smile in these times is very appealing of course. Banksy communicates as an artist and to everyone which is of central importance -and the visual accessibility of his style is central to this.

The exhibition was very elegantly and spaciously set out - with a mock-up of an actual/likely ‘studio that B may well intially work in - and with a hooded mannequin in the corner with its back towards us (of course. There is also a neat little 8-minute film that (rushing somewhat) takes us through Banksy’s work and approaches - including the marvellous auto-destruction of a print just auctioned at Sotheby’s . An example of the best sort of guerrilla art …and presumably triggered by Banksy himself - maybe even sitting in the audience. I like to think so).

Mate Bartha: Photography Kontakt: TOBE Gallery Budapest Sept 1st 2020

Zombie: Photography TOBE Gallery Budapest March 4th 2020