trust the process: ordered chaos
insights
I've been seeing more connections in the articles I've been reading recently, especially with regard to the tension between street artists and institutions. I've started to understand more in-depth why street artists often choose to exist in a vacuum, and why the decision to make art that is temporary and runs against the mainstream is driven by personal and artistic motivations. Historically, the institution of the art museum is one that favors a privileged few. The actual concept of the "museum" presides in exclusivity, the idea that only certain kinds of art are worthy of documentation and appreciation. On the other hand, street art is inherently a process marked by democratization, the idea that anyone, regardless of background or location, can become an artist. Therefore, it makes complete sense why street artists may feel opposed to treating their art as a commodity, something to be bought and sold to the highest bidder. The art they make comes from a place of rebellion and counter-culture spirit, not necessarily to gain recognition or accumulate wealth.
complications
The truth is, that wealth and prestige are offers too tempting to pass up for most people. Although in spirit, street art passes itself off to be anti-capitalism, this view becomes complicated when one considers famous street artists like Banksy. However humble his roots, the truth is that his works sell for millions of dollars, and it is possible that his anti-capitalistic stances are entirely performative in nature. In other words, he can pretend to be against the capitalistic system while playing inside its boundaries. Banksy is an artist that has taken on bold stances in his work, but he has become so mainstream at this point that his legacy goes beyond just his views-- it's also how much the general public and media value his art. His work has gained a life of its own. While he claims to be a voice for "the people," this can be construed as inauthentic when one looks at the profitability of his work and the fact that his net worth is estimated at a hefty $50 million. After all, it's easy to say that you "don't care about the cash" when you're rolling in it.
*Disclaimer*: This video is not confirmed to be Banksy.
banksy's beginnings
This interview from '95 gives some insight into Banksy's starting motivations and why he set out to become an artist in the first place. In the video, he disses the traditional route of becoming an artist, saying he "doesn't care" about money, and that he doesn't paint to host his own gallery show or for "anybody else." Banksy claims that all his anger about "having no power" is what fuels his art, and his painting is an act of rebellion against feeling powerless. The reward he gets for his hard work? That feeling he gets after coming home, having successfully evaded the police and "flipping them off." The rebel mindset, in simpler terms. Whether he's changed since then, or maybe if the fame and pressure got to him, is a different story.Â
approaching the end
It's hard to believe that the research component of the project is nearly over. Formulating original arguments is arguably much harder than reciting other peoples' ideas, simply because it is a labor of love. You can't really form a complex, well-supported thesis without putting in the work to think about it, reflect, and make the ideas your own. I started this research project thinking that it would be an ode to Banksy, professing his brilliance and out-of-the-box thinking, but everything I've read has made this view a bit more nuanced. I still think that street art is fascinating and worthy of scholarly appreciation, but it definitely makes it harder to speak in absolutes. As with all artists, they are not isolated creators speaking off a soapbox- the reason they have an audience, admirers, and critics is that there are forces shaping their work beyond simply who they are as human beings.
