Banksy is the only artist who is consistently at the center of public debate. He is the most mysterious and controversial artist of our time, constantly capable of generating headline news. Writing about his biography is a true challenge, as his identity remains undisclosed. Born in Bristol, he began creating highly realistic stencils in the 1990s, almost always carrying a political, anti-capitalist, and anti-authoritarian message.
His works engage deeply with the environments that host them, aiming to destabilize our perception. Armed soldiers painting the gesture of peace, children wearing gas masks, young girls embracing pieces of artillery—Banksy’s compositions are not meant solely to shock with their subject matter; often, they provoke discussion because of their placement. The world’s most famous street artist has worked on the wall separating Israel and Palestine, was present in Ukraine at the outbreak of war, and has intervened in other contexts where, at first glance, artistic expression seems impossible. For him, danger is no longer just the risk of being caught by the police—it also means potentially finding himself in dramatic war scenarios.
His installations interact with urban space: vandalizing traffic signs, engaging with security cameras, or appearing uninvited in museums. He has entered the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, for example, bypassing guards to display his works, complete with captions, without interruption. In these cases, the installations were meant to mock and challenge the dominant cultural institution. Banksy thus observes the art system from the outside, aiming to demystify it.
His communicative power lies primarily in the aura of mystery surrounding him. A shadowy existence paradoxically grants him absolute visibility, contributing to his mythical status. Banksy does not exist, yet he is everywhere. He speaks to his audience using the language he knows best: social media. News about him first appears on his Instagram channel, then is amplified by the mass media across the globe.
Like Haring and Andy Warhol, he has an instantly recognizable graphic style, easily reproducible across countless supports. Yet, like Haring—and unlike Warhol in a significant way—Banksy always seeks to convey a clear political message. Every work he produces serves a purpose: to help change public mindset and improve society. Conceptually, he aspires to be a profound and meaningful artist, even while expressing himself in a strikingly simple manner. From Warhol, Banksy has certainly borrowed irony, sometimes flavored with a taste for black humor. His compositions both attract and repel us, evoking amusement while simultaneously leaving a sense of disorientation.