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i love it. ive been saying this for 3 years.

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dont be silly. the entourage do it for me.

[muti]

Always thought this myself, he is too high profile to get arrested, a lot of his placements especially during the pieces he did for his movie were too in the open and too great a risk for him.

[BK83]

It is entirely irrelevant.

Banksy is a brand, and the product is art. As with any brand, there is a complex manufacturing process for it's products and by-products that involves many different players on many different levels.

Welcome to the art world!

Does it also bother you that Banksy does not do his own screen printing of his print editions?
Or that Banksy hires Charlie Becker to create his sculpture pieces and statues?
Or that D*Face did the graphic design for the Di-Faced Tenners?
Are you bothered by the fact that Banksy has a publicist?

Big business is big business, and Banksy is BIG business. This is the way any brand operates, and more directly, any major gallery artist operates. A lot of people are financially vested in Banksy's art and future and for that reason, there is a multi-faceted team that operates purely in the interests of Bankys's success. And, as with any brand, brand Banksy has to answer to his shareholders who have purchased his art on the high end, this means putting on shows, doing print releases and streetwork to create sales and interest on the low-end that can drive prices on the high-end, reiventing the brand in new and exciting ways ala Exit Through the Gift Shop, and so on. Do you see where this is going?

As a fan, what you are buying into is brand "Banksy", and the creative vision of "Banksy".

So, as I said, whether or not Banksy does his street work any more is entirely irrelevant. Just enjoy it.

[stillborncrisps]

I would say the style of the finished pieces is very consistent - even with stencils one person's style is different to another's (just look at all the Upfest work). Whoever's doing them is the same person. Obv using a team to help out with lookouts, diversions, etc....

[marshman]

Great reply BK83.

Hey muti with regards "he is too high profile to get arrested", come on it would not be difficult for the Police or the Government of any Country to get his name and prosecute him, BUT having others involved/doing the work gives you a wonderful alibi as you can prove you were having mojitos somewhere elsewhere when the event occurred

I admire the risks that individual artists/groups take when placing art and having been involved in one or two installations myself the BUZZ is amazing.
Sam

[highinla]

^ I agree with both sides of the coin... Shep does not do most of his mural installations (FACT), however... Shep is pushing a brand (his design studio and OBEY).

Banksy makes himself out to be more of an artist, so I hope he still puts up his work (with a help of an apprentice I'm sure). If Banksy does not put up his own work, then why worry about concealing your identity... besides obvious marketing reasons.

[curiousgeorge]

Worth a mention that it's Glastonbury, which some might say is the largest gathering of creatives,tad different from working on the street

In reply to the question, Hell no! It's all about the message (tad naive maybe)

[samuel42]

Its all about the idea

[Daniel Silk]

[Happy Shopper]

As has been said above, all the street pieces have a totally consistent style. We all spot it from a mile away whenever there's a rip-off, so how can multiple people be "Banksy"?

The only street pieces that I could imagine other people doing would be the small rat type things. Simple and just sprayed solid Black. And we all know Eine did some of them.

Obviously he has helpers, people to hold the stencils, cans, hot air blowers to dry the paint, etc. Just watch Exit Through The Gift Shop, and you can see that in action! This doesn't mean they're doing the main work.

[stickitup]

Before Banksy was a household name I remember it rumoured he has a team of people putting up pieces and his name, kind of spoiled it for me at that point. But if you look at who is involved in his friend network, Feek, Lokey, Eine, Mace (to name a few confirmed helpers)etc it becomes fairly obvious he uses/used their help for a lot of the work you may have seen and assumed he did on his own. Perhaps its something we all choose not to take notice of to preserve the purity of the art in our minds.

[flypitcher]

Spot on BK83.
Banksy is a brand that is why he tradmarked it.
Now it is over, But good luck to Banksy and his wife hope you have great kids.

[stillborncrisps]

Thing is, most writers work in crews when out anyway, how is Banksy having people out with him so different to that?

[stickitup]

not too sure but i think you'll find writers don't go out putting their other crew members names up without them being there as helpers, whereas I was lead to believe Banksy sometimes does not do all his own work for whatever reason.

[walshy]

Jul 23, 2010 13:15:23 GMT 1 stickitup said:

not too sure but i think you'll find writers don't go out putting their other crew members names up without them being there as helpers

Burning Candy do

[systm]

I read an article a while back about Eine, and he said that he was stenciling the rat around for Banksy (not sure if it was with or with out him).

[Daniel Silk]

[alexnh123]

great reply BK38 ***