Banksy's Graffiti: Socially constructive or destructive?

Active since the 1990s, Banksy is a famously known, UK-based street artist and political activist, that uses his art to convey and express his political opinions with the world. Using streets and building as his canvases to convey love, positivity, compassion and awareness through his art, this anonymous artist has inspired many people around the globe with his immensely expressive art style and in this article, I look at some of Banksy's works analyzing thier messages behind it in terms of its social construction.

This piece by Banksy holds a strong message – fight for peace, not violence. Banksy has portrayed the message in his art by combining two symbolic pieces to form a message for its audience; a man with his face covered, hiding his identity, in a posture tellingly suggesting that there is a violent intent, that at first glance anyone would expect to be holding a rock, bomb or Molotov cocktail. However, Banksy substituted that with a bouquet, that in my opinion symbolizes peace and love. Combining the two, Banksy has bought his piece to life advocating for peace and love over violence.

In my opinion, this piece is socially constructive, as it shows its true intent through mastery of art, that many people at first glance would understand, and ponder upon. It is advocating for a positive mindset. Theoretically, in my opinion, Banksy has responded to social strain, by positive innovation – in legal terms “crime against crime”, “graffiti against the violence in society” to deliver a message for change, thus socially constructive.

Banksy is famously known for his rats and the meaning behind them. Rats in his art, symbolize humans living under capitalism, while some “rat” out one another for their own gain (upper class), others become lab rats in a construct that provides only for these very “rats”, with no other choice (lower class), in his construct.

In my opinion, this piece is defining the emotions of everyday life under capitalism. Through the understanding of, famous philosopher, Karl Marx’s take on estranged labor, I understand that Banksy, as he defines “rat”, is trying to express the emotions of every person in a class that has alienated from his/her own labor, forced to provide for themselves by selling their abilities to someone else, thus the statement, “I’m out of bed and dressed {for you}, what more do you want”.

This piece holds the value of emotion over any other social construct in my opinion. It can be said to be socially constructive as an opinion addressing the minorities in society, and how the definition of an “American dream” does not always provide for the majority. This piece could be a depiction of a ritualistic response to a society where individuals have accepted the institutional means of living but rejected the cultural goals out of hopelessness.

This is a beautiful piece by Banksy; A graffiti artist throwing up flowers. In my view, this is a depiction of creativity, directly associated with the interpretation of graffiti by the artist himself. The Artist is expressing a “throw up” of creativity and art. Street art is labelled a crime and illegal in most countries (labelling theory), so we can look at this as an expression defining what “street art” really is - the suppressed expression of creativity, that can only be held in to so long before its “thrown out” and expressed, mislabelled as a vandal, as it dismisses its main element and thus considered illegal.

From a legal point of view, this may be looked at as a socially destructive piece, as it may be promoting “vandalism” and disrespect towards the authorities and law. However, if we look at it as promoting graffiti for a good cause (innovatively promoting social construct and positivity), it could be constructive in encouraging artists to express themselves more through this form of art.