Pat Murray 10/1

As I was sitting here studying for our exam on Wednesday, I took a much needed break to scroll through Instagram and came across a post that instantly connected to a few of our course units. The art community has erupted in discussion about Banksy’s most recent exploit. This past weekend, at the Sotheby’s auction house in London, an unexpected phenomenon took place when an original Banksy piece sold for 1.4 million dollars. The second the bid caller slammed the gavel, a shredder, hidden within the frame of the artwork “destroyed” the picture of “Girl with Balloon” and left everyone in attendance dumbfounded. The painting itself was a copy of one of the graffiti artists’ most famous works, valued so highly because of the original wall painting. The artist, being known for his satirical art and political critiques has supplied more layers to his portfolio due to the awareness raised in regards to the event. Through shredding this image, Banksy has successfully transformed the very auction that took place, that moment in history, into a work of art- one that falls under its own, unique category. The artist shows he understands not only the value of his work but the acts he must follow to maintain his status. He recognizes how to get people’s attention and does so through his art alone, this time however, manipulating its presence to gain superiority. The museum interestingly enough stated, “We’ve been Banksy-ed...we have not experienced this situation in the past” something I have been saying in class, has been hard to accomplish/ achieve in today’s day in age due to the saturation of art, technology, and outlets there are to promote such ideologies. Originality is hard to come by with the surplus of ideas we see, know of, and understand in our modern world. It is fun seeing the crazy ways our community is able to play apart in creating and shaping history.

Article link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/arts/design/uk-banksy-painting-sothebys.html

Below are the quotes that connect to this story and the units they are from.

A Theory in Literary Production

-Macherey

“Are there books which say what they mean . . . Without depending directly on other books?”  (16)

Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

-Walter Benjamin

“In principle a work of art has always been reproducible” (38).

“…technical reproduction can put the copy of the original into situations which would be out of reach of the original itself” (39).

“The presence of the original is the prerequisite to the concept of authenticity” (39).

“The instant the criterion of authenticity ceases to be applicable to artistic production, the total function of art is reversed.  Instead of being based on ritual, it begins to be based on another practice—politics” (40-1).

Then there is how this very act is presented. How it spreads, how it promotes Banksy, and just art in general

“Works of art are received and valued on different planes. Two polar types stand out: with one, the accent is on the cult value; with the other, on the exhibition value of the work” (41).

“…by the absolute emphasis on its exhibition value the work of art becomes a creation with entirely new functions…. Today, photography and film are the most serviceable exemplifications of this new function” (41).

“Mechanical reproduction of art changes the reaction of the masses toward art….” (45).

“The public is an examiner, but an absent-minded one” (48).