Polarity in Bansky

Man has used art to communicate and entertain since the beginning of time. In contemporary society, some of the most advanced and expressive from of art invades the blank walls of every city; street art. Perhaps, one of the most phenomenal street artists is the pseudonymous artist Banksy. Banksy is a world-renowned political activist who travels around the globe leaving behind a trail of graffiti artworks, portraying powerful political messages often with a satirical twist. Found in prominent public spaces, Banksy’s artworks demand the attention of the public (Davidson, 2011). He explores the concept of polarity through a social context and focuses on the battles of the world. Banksy uses symbolic and recognisable imagery to capture the audience. His artworks often polarize issues that surround everyday lives often involving politics. The following explores two well known pieces of Banksy’s art, The Cave Painting painted in London, 2008 (Figure 1) and an untitled work at West Bank (Figure 2). Through these pieces, Banksy clearly demonstrates powerful polarised views of some major issues in society today.
Banksy’s ability to communicate contrasts in the world is aided by the imagery that he thoroughly considers before creating. Through The Cave Painting (2008) and the untitled work in Bethlehem (2005) Banksy explores important political matters and utilizes imagery to polarize the immediate environment in which his paintings are located. The Cave Painting by Banksy depicts a man in uniform wearing a fluorescent vest, seemingly from city maintenance, holding a power washer. The man is washing what appear to be ancient cave paintings off the wall. Through The Cave Painting, Banksy polarizes right and wrong. He shares his belief that graffiti, alike to the ancient cave paintings, is a form of art that should not be washed off this is because they may provide important information to future generations, as do the ancient cave paintings to modern day society. To