War, Capitalism & Liberty
An exhibition of artworks by the artist known as Banksy from international private collections. This thought-provoking exhibition is to be held at Palazzo Cipolla in Rome, from 24 May to 4 September 2016.
The exhibition includes extensive corpus artis of Banksy’s works coming from private international collections. Original paintings, prints, sculptures and rare objects will be exhibited, many of which have never been shown previously. It is a non-profit exhibition, characterized by a strong educational and school-targeting component, which is a comprehensive scientific review of the artist known as Banksy. As a street artist with his roots in Bristol, Banksy has influenced globally the urban art movement and is arguably one of the movement’s most notorious artist. The exhibition will examine how social and political events of our world are viewed through the street art of Banksy; from his motif of monkeys declaring ‘Laugh Now But One Day I’ll Be in Charge’ to the chilling image of ‘Kids on Guns’. Banksy is one of most discussed, debated and acclaimed cultural figures of our age. His anonymous persona has captivated international audiences since the late 1990s. An urban artist, his media ranges from painting on canvas, screen-prints and sculpture to large installations and even the occasional livestock. His artwork reveals a unique mix of humour and humanity; it is created for the masses and affords a voice for those in - and indeed outside - of society who would otherwise not be heard. A recent example is his commentary on the refugee crisis and the after effects of Dismaland. His anonymity and refusal to conform mean that he is as difficult to nail down as is his artwork, and thus a survey of his works has never been officially or unofficially exposed in a private museum to a public audience. The Fondazione brought together this collection - which is extensive and unprecedented - thanks to lenders from around the world. The exhibition will highlight Banksy’s great artistic skills, through all his career, underlining the main inspiration sources: WAR, CAPITALISM and LIBERTY. Although the artist retains full anonymity, Banksy is believed to have been born in Bristol in 1974. Taking inspiration from the Bristol Underground Scene, the artist claims that his distinctive style, which combines stencil and graffiti writing, developed out of a need to quickly create large-scale works. Banksy's work typically includes satirical social and political commentary, and ranges from murals to sculpture and installation, often playing with the contextual aspects of the work.
The artist's first show was held in Bristol in 2000 at the Severn Shed. In 2002, Banksy exhibited at Los Angeles' 33 1/3 Gallery and in 2003 he was commissioned to design to cover of Blur's ThinkTank. Today, Banksy's work appears internationally; most notably, he painted nine sardonic images on the Palestinian side of the West Bank barrier. In Summer 2009, Banksy took over the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery with an exhibition attracting over 300,000 visitors and hour-long queues all the way down the road. The artist has experimented with film, achieving an Oscar nomination for his documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop. No gallery represents Banksy. In 2013, Banksy held an official residency in New York titled ‘Better Out Than In’ in which he set up a street stall selling canvases for $60 USD to tourists. Understandably, many walked past not knowing that was for sale was in fact worth tens of thousands of dollars. Only a few were lucky to buy which, in itself, is quite ironic. Last year, 2015 saw the opening of DISMALAND. A large-scale ‘bemusement’ park greeted visitors of all nationalities and ages with the most unhelpful staff to match the most imperfect day out. The theme park brought together notable artists, including Damien Hirst. In December of last year Banksy headed to Calais where he produced a series of murals including that called The Son of a Migrant from Syria which chillingly depicted Steve Jobs.
An exhibition conceived, promoted and realised by Fondazione Terzo Pilastro - Italia e Mediterraneo, chairman Emmanuele Francesco Maria Emanuele, curated by Stefano Antonelli, Francesca Mezzano & Acoris Andipa.
