Last Updated:

2024-04-21 00:06:17

Banksy

Pseudonymous England-based street artist and activist.

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Pseudonymous England-based street artist and activist.

Banksy is a mysterious street artist known for his satirical and politically charged artwork. His identity remains unknown, adding to the intrigue surrounding his pieces. Banksy's unique stenciling technique has gained global recognition, with his works appearing on streets worldwide. He has also delved into film directing, with his documentary 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' receiving critical acclaim.

Keith Haring Bank of England Barclays Bank of America Andy Warhol World Bank Bank for International Settlements Jeff Koons Vincent van Gogh Wall Street

1990-07-11

Early Career of Banksy

Banksy started his career as a freehand graffiti artist with Bristol's DryBreadZ Crew between 1990 and 1994.

1997

The Mild Mild West Mural

Banksy painted his first large wall mural, The Mild Mild West, in 1997 in Bristol. The mural features a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail at riot police, showcasing Banksy's distinctive style and message.

1998

Banksy's First Inside Art Exhibition

In 1998, Banksy held his first 'inside' art exhibition in a flat in Easton, Bristol, showcasing acrylic on canvas works. The exhibition featured an early version of his iconic piece 'Love Is In The Air'.

1999

The Mild Mild West Mural

The Mild Mild West is Banksy's first known and preserved large wall mural from 1999, covering an advertisement in Bristol. It features a teddy bear preparing to throw a Molotov cocktail at three riot police officers, inspired by a real-life confrontation between the police and Bristol's youth.

2000-05-31

Banksy's Illicit Outdoor Gallery Experience

Banksy's second exhibit, known as an Illicit Outdoor Gallery Experience, took place on Leake Street in London on May 31, 2000.

2001-05-31

Solo pop up exhibition in Rivington Street

On May 31st, 2001, Banksy organized a solo pop-up exhibition near the Cargo club on Rivington Street, East London. This event allowed Banksy to engage with a wider audience and showcase his art in a unique setting.

2002-06-19

Exhibition

An exhibition related event occurred on June 19, 2002.

2002-07-19

Banksy's First Los Angeles Exhibition

On July 19, 2002, Banksy's first Los Angeles exhibition, titled Existencilism: an Exhibition of Art, Lies and Deviousness, debuted at 331⁄3 Gallery owned by Frank Sosa. The exhibition showcased iconic stencils like Barcode, Bomb Hugger, Love Is In The Air, and Laugh Now.

2002-08-18

End of Banksy's Los Angeles Exhibition

Banksy's exhibition at 331⁄3 Gallery in Los Angeles, titled Existencilism: an Exhibition of Art, Lies and Deviousness, concluded on August 18, 2002.

2003-07-19

Existencilism Exhibition

Banksy hosts the 'Existencilism – an Exhibition of Art, Lies and Deviousness' show in Los Angeles at the 331⁄3 Gallery in Silver Lake.

2004-08

Banksy's Spoof British £10 Notes

In August 2004, Banksy created spoof British £10 notes featuring Princess Diana's head instead of the Queen's and the text 'Bank of England' changed to 'Banksy of England'. These notes were thrown into a crowd at Notting Hill Carnival and some recipients tried to spend them in local shops.

2004-10

Sale of Banksy's Princess Diana Commemorative Posters

In October 2007, a limited run of 50 signed posters containing ten uncut spoof £10 notes created by Banksy to commemorate Princess Diana's death were sold for £100 each. One of these posters was sold at an auction in London for £24,000.

2005-08-06

Banksy's Altered £10 Notes

Banksy replaced the Queen's head with Princess Diana's on British £10 notes, labeling them as 'Banksy of England'. These altered notes were scattered across England and have become highly sought after due to their rarity and value.

2005-09-15

Banksy's Artwork in Palestinian Territories

Banksy visited the Palestinian territories and painted nine new images on the Israeli West Bank wall.

2006-09-16

Banksy's Barely Legal Exhibition in Los Angeles

Banksy opened the Barely Legal exhibition in Los Angeles, featuring a live elephant painted in a pink and gold floral wallpaper pattern to draw attention to world poverty. The exhibition was a three-day vandalized warehouse extravaganza.

2006-10-19

Kate Moss Screen-Prints Auction at Sotheby’s London

On October 19, 2006, a set of Kate Moss screen-prints by Banksy sold at Sotheby’s London for £50,400, setting an auction record for Banksy’s work at that time. The prints, featuring the model in the style of Andy Warhol, fetched five times their estimated price, marking a significant milestone in Banksy's career.

2007-02-08

Ballerina with Action Man Parts Sold at Sotheby's

On February 8, 2007, the artwork 'Ballerina with Action Man Parts' was sold at Sotheby's London for GBP 96,000, setting a high water mark for a Banksy work at auction.

2007-02-21

Sotheby's Auction of Banksy Works

On 21 February 2007, Sotheby's auction house in London sold three Banksy works, including Bombing Middle England, Girl with Balloon, and Bomb Hugger, for record prices. This event highlighted the increasing popularity and value of Banksy's art.

2007-04-11

The Banksy Effect

On April 11, 2007, Banksy's art pieces 'Balloon Girl' and 'Bomb Hugger' were sold for £37,200 and £31,200 respectively. This further showcased the impact and popularity of Banksy's work.

2007-04-25

Space Girl and Bird Auction Record

On April 25, 2007, Banksy set a new auction record with his artwork 'Space Girl and Bird' selling for GBP 288,000 at Bonhams London, exceeding its estimated value by more than 20 times.

2007-04-27

Record Sale of Banksy's Space Girl and Bird

On 27 April 2007, Banksy's artwork titled Space Girl and Bird was sold at auction for £288,000, setting a new record high for the sale of Banksy's work. The price fetched was around 20 times the estimated value.

2007-05-21

Banksy Awarded Art's Greatest Living Briton

On 21 May 2007, Banksy was awarded the title of Art's Greatest Living Briton. Despite the recognition, Banksy did not attend the award ceremony, maintaining his anonymous persona.

2007-06-04

Theft of Banksy's The Drinker

On 4 June 2007, it was reported that Banksy's artwork The Drinker had been stolen. This incident added to the intrigue surrounding Banksy's works and their value in the art market.

2008-03-11

Banana Guns

Banksy replaced the guns with bananas, then later placed the bananas with guns and put banana suits on the actors.

2008-05-03

The Cans Festival

Over the weekend of May 3–5, 2008, Banksy hosted The Cans Festival in London. The exhibition took place in a road tunnel underneath London Waterloo station, where graffiti artists with stencils were invited to paint their own artwork.

2008-08-22

Walls on Fire Street Art Exhibition

In August 2008, Banksy and Inkie organized the first open-air street art exhibition called Walls on Fire with the town hall's approval.

2008-10-05

Opening of The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill

Banksy opened a unique pet store in New York, featuring animatronic pets in the store window, such as a mother hen watching over Chicken McNuggets and a rabbit putting on makeup.

2009-06-13

Banksy Vs The Bristol Museum exhibition

Starting on June 13, 2009, Banksy held the 'Banksy Vs The Bristol Museum' exhibition in Bristol. The show featured over 100 artworks and attracted more than 300,000 visitors, running for three months until August 31.

2010-01-01

Debut of Exit Through the Gift Shop

Banksy's documentary film 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in January 2011.

2010-01-10

Hurricane Katrina Painting

Banksy made a painting for the Hurricane Katrina and the associated levee failure disaster anniversarys in New Orleans.

2010-01-24

World Premiere of Exit Through The Gift Shop at Sundance Film Festival

Banksy's film, Exit Through The Gift Shop, had its world premiere at The Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. To celebrate the screening, Banksy created 10 street pieces around Park City and Salt Lake City.

2010-09-06

Original Banksy artworks at HMV for 'Exit Through The Gift Shop' promotion

Banksy placed original artworks at HMV to promote the UK release of the documentary film 'Exit Through The Gift Shop'. The artworks were displayed between the aisles and in the windows of HMV.

2011-05-11

Banksy's Tesco Value Print Release

On May 11, 2011, Banksy released a lithographic print featuring a smoking petrol bomb inside a 'Tesco Value' bottle. This artwork made a powerful statement on consumerism and corporate culture.

2012-05-11

Destruction of Banksy's Parachuting Rat

In May 11, 2012, Banksy's iconic Parachuting Rat artwork was destroyed by plumbers. The piece, known for its whimsical and thought-provoking nature, faced an unfortunate fate.

2013-02-18

Slave Labour mural removed and put up for auction

On 18 February 2013, Banksy's 'Slave Labour' mural portraying a child sewing Union Flag bunting was removed from a store in London and put up for auction, causing controversy and anger in the local community.

2013-05-11

Banksy Slave Labour Mural Auction

In May 2013, Banksy's mural depicting a young child sewing Union Flag bunting, known as the Slave Labour mural, was auctioned and sold for over £450,000.

2013-09-24

Banksy unveils new mural 'Better Out Than In'

On 24 September 2013, Banksy revealed a new mural on his website titled 'Better Out Than In', marking his return to creating public art after over a year.

2013-10-01

Banksy Street Art Show in New York City

In October 2013, Banksy started a one-month street art show in New York City, setting up a pop-up boutique near Central Park where tourists could purchase his art for $60 each. The street-stall art pieces were estimated to be worth up to $31,000.

2013-10-12

Banksy Street Art Sale on Fifth Avenue

On October 12, 2013, Banksy's street art sale on Fifth Avenue near Central Park attracted attention as tourists could buy his art for $60 each. The booth was manned by an elderly man, and two canvasses later sold for $214,000 at an auction in July 2014.

2013-10-31

Conclusion of Banksy's New York City Residency

Banksy's residency in New York City ended on October 31, 2013. Many of the art pieces created during this time were either vandalized, removed, or stolen.

2014-01-01

Person of the Year at the Webby Awards

In 2014, Banksy was honored as the Person of the Year at the Webby Awards. This recognition highlighted his significant impact on the art world and popular culture.

2015-04-21

Attempted Theft of Bethlehem Banksy Mural

Police prevented a theft attempt on a Banksy mural located in Bethlehem.

2015-08-21

Opening of Dismaland

Banksy opened Dismaland, a satirical art exhibition inspired by Disneyland, in Weston-super-Mare, UK. The exhibition mocked disappointing themed attractions in the UK.

2015-09-27

Closure of Dismaland

Dismaland, the satirical 'theme park' created by Banksy, permanently closed on September 27, 2015. It was located in Weston Super Mare, United Kingdom.

2016-01

Les Miserables artwork near French Embassy in London

In January 2016, Banksy created a new artwork near the French Embassy in London inspired by Les Miserables, addressing the treatment of people in the Calais refugee camp. The piece included a QR code linking to a video on the subject.

2016-06

Banksy's painting at Bridge Farm Primary School

In June 2016, a painting by Banksy was found at Bridge Farm Primary School in Bristol, featuring a child with a burning tyre and a letter thanking the school for naming a house after him.

2017-05-07

Brexit Mural in Dover, UK

Banksy created a mural in Dover, UK, depicting his take on Brexit during a time of political uncertainty in Europe, with the UK undergoing a general election and France contemplating its European future.

2017-06-03

Banksy's New Print Release of Girl with Balloon

Banksy announced a new print release of the iconic Girl with Balloon, exclusively available to registered voters in the Bristol area who vote against the Conservative party. This would have been Banksy's first regular print release since Choose Your Weapon in 2010.

2017-06-05

Banksy's UK General Election Offer

During the 2017 UK general election, Banksy offered voters a free print if they voted against Conservative candidates in certain constituencies. This led to an investigation by the Avon and Somerset Constabulary for suspected bribery.

2017-06-06

Banksy cancels new print release

Banksy announced the cancellation of a new print release due to legal issues. The promotion for a free print for voting against the Tories was called off.

2017-09-11

Contribution to 'Art The Arms Fair' protest

On September 11th, 2017, Banksy revealed his contribution to 'Art The Arms Fair', a protest against the Defence and Security Equipment International (DESI) event in London. The protest aimed to halt the arms fair scheduled from September 12th to 15th, 2017.

2017-12-17

Banksy's 'The Alternativity' airs on BBC2

On December 17th, 2017, Banksy's 'The Alternativity' was broadcasted on BBC2. The show depicted the challenges faced in Palestine, juxtaposing the attempt to make it snow with the struggles of everyday life.

2018-03-15

Banksy Mural in New York in Support of Zehra Doğan

On March 15, 2018, Banksy created a mural in New York in support of Zehra Doğan.

2018-03-21

Brooklyn Seal Confirmed by Banksy's Instagram

On March 21, 2018, Banksy confirmed the Brooklyn seal painted at an abandoned gas station in Midwood, Brooklyn, using the remaining part of the Mobil gas station logo as his ball.

2018-10-05

Banksy's Artwork Shredding at Sotheby's

In October 5th, Banksy's famous artwork 'Girl with Balloon' self-destructed through a shredder hidden in the frame just after it was sold for over a million pounds at Sotheby's auction house in London.

2018-10-07

Banksy's Painting Self-Destruction

A painting by Banksy, depicting a girl releasing a red balloon, self-destructed just after being auctioned for $1.4 million at Sotheby's. Banksy had secretly installed a shredder in the frame of the painting to destroy it if it ever went up for auction, turning the auction itself into a work of art.

2019-05-22

Banksy's Venice Biennale Video

Banksy posted a video on his Instagram account showcasing a man with a concealed face sitting next to oil paintings in Venice amidst other artists and vendors. The paintings depicted scenes of Venice, including gondolas, reflecting the city's beauty and struggles.

2019-12-19

Season's Greetings in Port Talbot, Wales

On December 19th, Season's Greetings was displayed in Port Talbot, Wales, possibly referring to the famous Banksy mural. The artwork is known for its powerful message and artistic value.

2020-02-13

Valentine’s mural in Bristol’s Barton Hill neighborhood

On February 13, 2020, a special Valentine’s mural was created on the side of a building in Bristol’s Barton Hill neighborhood. The mural depicted a young girl firing a slingshot of real, red flowers and leaves. Banksy later confirmed it as his work on Valentine’s Day.

2020-02-14

Banksy confirms Valentine’s mural

On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2020, Banksy confirmed that the Valentine’s mural in Bristol’s Barton Hill neighborhood was indeed his work. He made the confirmation through his Instagram account and website.

2020-07-14

Banksy paints COVID-19 inspired artwork in London Tube

On 14 July 2020, Banksy painted a new artwork in the London Tube inspired by COVID-19. He shared a video on Instagram showing him in protective gear creating the piece in support of facial coverings.

2020-08-29

Banksy finances M.V. Louise Michel Rescue Lifeboat

On 29 August 2020, Banksy announced he financed a lifeboat named M.V. Louise Michel to rescue refugees in the Mediterranean Sea. The vessel was a French Navy conversion to aid non-Europeans in distress.

2020-09-14

EU Intellectual Property Office Ruling on Banksy's 'Flower Thrower'

On 14 September 2020, the European Union Intellectual Property Office ruled in favour of Full Colour Black in the trademark dispute over Banksy's 'Flower Thrower', deeming Banksy's trademark invalid due to being filed in Bad Faith.

2021-03-23

Sale of Banksy's Painting for Saints or Game Changer

On 23 March 2021, Banksy's Painting for Saints or Game Changer was sold for £14.4m (£16.8m including buyer premium), setting a record for an artwork by Banksy.

2021-09-03

Love is the Bin Artwork Display at Sotheby's

Assistants posing by Banksy's artwork titled Love is the Bin during a photocall at Sotheby's auction house in London.

2021-10-14

Resale of Love is in the Bin

The partially-shredded Banksy artwork, Love is in the Bin, was resold by Sotheby's auction house in London for £18,582,000, making it the first artwork in history to have been created live during an auction.

2022-11-12

Graffiti in Banksy's Style in Borodyanka

A local resident walks past graffiti on a wall of a destroyed building in Borodyanka, resembling Banksy's style, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The origin of the graffiti remains unconfirmed by the artist.

2023-02-14

Banksy posts 'Valentine's Day Mascara' on Instagram

On Valentine's Day 2023, Banksy shared a new piece titled 'Valentine's Day Mascara' on Instagram, addressing themes of domestic violence and garnering widespread attention.

2023-03-16

Sheet Metal Curtains

An art piece titled 'Sheet Metal Curtains' created on March 16, 2023.

2023-10-13

Banksy's Influence on the Art World

Banksy, considered the most famous living artist globally, is renowned for his provocative paintings with social and political themes. His impact on the art world has been significant for decades, attracting interest from buyers and sellers alike.

2024-03-17

Banksy mural in Upper Holloway

On St Patrick's Day 2024, a Banksy mural appeared in Upper Holloway, London, featuring a worker using a pressure washer to clean the artwork. The location and subject make it challenging to remove for sale.

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