The Art of Banksy, An Unauthorised Private Collection

“Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing” – Banksy

English-based street artist Banksy, whose works have been exhibited in a public display in London’s Regent Street has recently been extended, such has been the popularity of the London-based collection. The exhibition has been touring in 15 cities across the globe, from London to Budapest, through to Washington D.C and Warsaw. The collection comprises some of the artist’s most iconic pieces and some never-before-seen works.

Whilst this exhibition is expressly unauthorised, in that it has not been curated by the artist, all of the pieces have been authenticated and guaranteed as real Banksy pieces of art. With 150 artworks on display, visitors can view famous pieces such as Girl With Balloon (the version that didn’t get shredded!), Flower Thrower, and Rude Copper. These are presented alongside “hand-drawn sketches and personal works that Banksy created for friends, associates and former lovers. Set across 2,000 sqm, in London’s Regent Street, close to Piccadilly Circus, The Art of Banksy, an unauthorised private collection gives visitors an impressive opportunity to see a vast array of pieces including prints and unique works, many of which are on public display for the very first time.

The exhibition also focuses on Banksy’s Dismaland exhibition, the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem and recent artworks which acknowledge the ongoing war in Ukraine. As is common with pieces of Banksy artwork, an artist that was awarded Person of the Year at the 2014 Webby Awards, many of the pieces challenge the common ideology and political landscape based on what is happening around the globe at any given time. What adds a further level of intrigue to this exhibition is that we get an insight into some of the artist’s artworks for the first time. This insight comes from close associates of the artist as they share personal stories giving a unique view into some of the world’s most famous images.

Interestingly we get to hear the background on how some of those headline-grabbing street art stunts were devised and executed, all without ever revealing the artist’s identity. For those unfamiliar with the artist, Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of continued speculation. Their first recognised artworks came into circulation around the 1990s with his satirical street art and subversive epigrams combined with political commentary with all graffiti being executed in the artist’s distinctive stencilling technique. Popping up on building walls, bridges, construction sites and even war zones, Banksy’s canvas knows no bounds. The artist has also undertaken collaborations with other artists and musicians, one of the most famous being Stormzy’s stab-proof vest worn on Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage back in 2019.

Whilst The Art of Banksy global exhibition is unauthorised, it hasn’t stopped over 1.5 million visitors from around the world from seeing it, and we don’t blame them given the vast array of artwork on display. For those in London, we recommend visiting before it moves on to its next destination.