Banksy scandal: street artist will defend his rights in court
13 February 21:07
Famous British street artist Banksy is facing a legal dispute with Full Colour Black, a company specializing in the sale of postcards with graffiti images. This was reported by Komersant ukrainskyi with reference to Art News.
The company claims that Banksy does not use its trademark, which, in their opinion, is the basis for its cancellation. In response, Banksy opened a temporary store called Gross Domestic Product in Croydon, South London, in 2019 to demonstrate the use of its trademark. However, in 2020, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) ruled in favor of Full Colour Black, stating that the trademark registration was made in bad faith.
The hearing in this case is scheduled for April at the Intellectual Property Tribunal.
Who is Banksy?
Banksy is an anonymous British street artist whose identity remains unknown. It is assumed that he was born in Bristol around 1974. Banksy gained popularity in the late 1990s for his provocative stencil works, which often contain anti-authoritarian and socially critical messages.
Banksy is believed to have started his artistic career in Bristol, where he was part of the underground graffiti scene. His early works were freehand drawings, but he later switched to using stencils, which allowed him to create complex images faster and avoid arrest.
Style and subject matter
Banksy’s work is known for its sharp social and political commentary. He uses irony and black humor to draw attention to topics such as war, capitalism, hypocrisy, and social injustice. His art often appears in public spaces, making it accessible to a wider audience and amplifying its impact.
Famous works of Banksy
Among Banksy’s most famous works is Girl with a Balloon, which depicts a little girl releasing a red heart-shaped balloon. In 2018, this painting attracted worldwide attention when, after being sold at auction for over $1.3 million, it partially self-destructed with a shredder built into the frame, receiving a new title, “Love in a Trash Can.”
Other notable works include Love in the Air (Throwing a Flower), which depicts a protester throwing a bouquet of flowers instead of a Molotov cocktail, and Rats, a series of images of rats symbolizing marginalized groups in society.
Banksy’s projects and installations
In 2010, he released the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop, which explores the relationship between street art and commerce. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
In 2015, Banksy created Dismaland, a temporary theme park in the UK that is a dark parody of Disneyland. The park was filled with installations and works of art criticizing consumerism, politics and society in general.
Contemporary art critics say that Banksy has had a significant impact on contemporary art, drawing attention to social and political issues through his work. His art is highly valued in the art market, despite his criticism of the commercialization of art. His works are often stolen, vandalized, or moved for conservation.
His ability to remain anonymous, despite his worldwide fame, adds to the mystery of his persona and emphasizes his message that art should speak for itself, without reference to the artist’s identity.
