The above image is not one I found in Richmond, it is a copy of one the designs by the elusive Banksy, an internationally known graffiti artist. Just google his name and check the images link. Though this is not one of his stencils, a touch of his influence can be seen in a "tryptich" of images I featured in an earlier blog post.
What is most interesting about Banksy's work is that it is low-tech & low-cost yet has an international reputation. Though this is partly due to the ease of spreading images via the Web, part of his popularity is the resonance his images have with those who see them.
Clearly these are thoughtful, politically significant designs. And the one below puts the "graffiti wars" in a larger anthropological context...imagine graffiti removal at Lascaux!
Most recently, Banksy has expanded the media of his visual expressions with a 5:15 minute documentary video Exit Through the Gift Shop (below) that has been nominated for the Academy Awards according to the NPR story "Shenanigans Are What He Does: Is Banksy Gunning For An Oscar?"
But what will happen if graffiti goes mainstream?
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