Cut & Run a Banksy show at the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art
- Autumn1
- Jun 17, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 28, 2023
From June 18th to August 28th, Glasgow is set to host the first solo exhibition in 14 years by Banksy, arguably the world's most famous street artist. If you're around, this is an opportunity you don't want to miss—and I certainly won't!
The above image is an installation from Banksy found in Port Talbot, Wales. In summary, it is a protest against air pollution and the damage to children. Read more about it here.
I'll be updating this blog after I've experienced the show, but my excitement is already bubbling over. I have a real soft spot for street art and graffiti, despite the occasional controversy it stirs. Or maybe that is why I love it.
Since the '90s, Banksy has been using the world as his canvas, clandestinely painting thought-provoking pieces on whatever surfaces take his fancy. Despite the swirl of theories about his identity, he's remained an enigma, simply known as "Banksy". What we do know is he's a Bristol native who later made London his home.
In the beginning, Banksy's anonymity was a matter of legal necessity, but as his art gained popularity, it became a signature. His work now sells for millions, with the history-making "Love is in the Bin" fetching a record £18.6 million (about $23.5 million). Many of his creations have been auctioned, amazingly, still attached to the parts of the wall they were drawn on. You can even get prints (some even autographed!) from this elusive artist-author.
"Love is in the Bin" auction October 5th, 2018
Banksy's preferred medium is "stenciling", a layered approach where an image slowly emerges from a series of overpainted stencils. Banksy has even shared a video showing his process. If you're heading to the Glasgow show, prepare to be amazed by his remarkable stencils—it's like getting a peek at Picasso's palette. I put a video below where someone demonstrates how to do stencil art.
Although Banksy didn't invent stencil graffiti—an art form dating back to at least the mid-'60s—he's indisputably made it mainstream. But let's face it, we humans have been leaving our marks on walls for millennia.
Kilroy was graffiti added to various objects all over the world during WWII. The image above is from the WWII Monument in Washington D.C. This piece of graffiti became a unifying image to those in the military that was so strong, it made its way to official art in the capital of the United States of America. The story is quite amazing, and you can read about it here.
Also consider the cave paintings that date back 40,000 years—our earliest form of graffiti. And recently, a new find pushed that timeline back to a staggering 45,500 years ago, in a cave in Indonesia! Or how about this early representation of Banksy's style? These ancient artists used their hands as stencils to leave their mark. I really love this article that talks about how important cave art is to artists today.
The term "graffiti" even has ancient roots. It's derived from the Italian word "graffito", meaning "something scratched", which itself can be traced back to the Greek word "graphi", for "writing"—a term used to describe thought-provoking messages and political statements carved into the architecture of ancient Greece. It was also used to etch some not so thought provoking things, but I won't post THOSE images here.
It was novelist Norman Mailer, writing for the New York Times, who gave us "graffiti" in the context of modern wall art. His book from the 1970s "The Faith of Graffiti" is recognized as an extremely important acknowledgement of the art form.
All this goes to show that throughout our history, we humans have felt a compelling need to express our thoughts and share our discoveries. That's our superpower. It's why we've progressed from harnessing fire, to creating cooking fires, building earth ovens, and now, using microwaves.
Isaac Newton once wrote to fellow scientist Robert Hooke, "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants". This sentiment has always resonated with me. It underscores that our progress relies on the accumulated wisdom of those who've come before us. Imagine if we couldn't share what we learned? We'd be stuck in a perpetual cycle of reinvention, and the modern world wouldn't exist.
So yes, graffiti matters. It can be destructive and crude, sure. But it can also push the boundaries of thought, nudging people to think beyond what's considered normal or polite. Voices from the margins should be valued as they often offer fresh perspectives on societal issues. This outside-the-box thinking is the lifeblood of innovation.
Graffiti, with its raw, unabashed expression, is akin to an urban canvas where artists freely share their perspectives, challenging us to see the world through their eyes. It's thought-provoking and often pushes us outside of our comfort zones.
Graffiti and Design Thinking
Similarly, this same kind of thinking plays a fundamental role in Design Thinking and human-centered design, which is what I do for a living, in case anyone was wondering. It is unfortunately not riding bikes! Though, if anyone is hiring for a novice cycling position, I am interested!
Design Thinking draws inspiration from the way graffiti disrupts conventional norms. It's about empathizing, ideating, and trying out unconventional solutions, much like a street artist paints a mural that challenges societal norms or makes a statement about social issues.
The first phase of Design Thinking, empathy, is about understanding the users and their needs from their perspective. It's akin to how a graffiti artist connects with their community, expressing shared sentiments and experiences on their urban canvas.
The ideation phase, where a myriad of possible solutions is conceived, mirrors the creative process of graffiti. Artists often work without rules, allowing their creativity to run wild. In Design Thinking, you're encouraged to think broadly and generate a wide range of ideas, no matter how outlandish they may seem at first.
The prototype and testing stages of Design Thinking are akin to a street artist's process. Graffiti, by its transient nature, is a form of rapid prototyping. The artist creates, observes reactions, and iterates. In the same vein, Design Thinking promotes a 'fail fast, fail often' mindset, learning and iterating from each user feedback to improve the solution continuously.
Human-centered design, like graffiti, prioritizes the human experience. It's about crafting solutions that meet people's needs and improve their lives. Graffiti often gives voice to the voiceless, mirroring human-centered design's goal to create inclusive, accessible solutions that cater to all.
Innovative thinking, whether in street art or Design Thinking, embraces a different perspective, a willingness to break the mold, and the courage to challenge the status quo. Graffiti, in its essence, is a manifestation of this innovative mindset, continually pushing boundaries, provoking thought, and encouraging dialogue.
In the end, just as graffiti has the power to change our perception of the urban landscape, Design Thinking and innovative, human-centered design have the potential to revolutionize the way we approach and solve problems.
Both serve as reminders that the most impactful creations often stem from thinking outside the lines and daring to view the world from a fresh perspective.
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