The World of Banksy lands in Barcelona
Updated on the day: 03/26/2021. After passing through Paris (and more than 150,000 visitors), the exhibition The World of Banksy , arrives in Barcelona to show more than 100 works , life-size reproductions between the years 2000 and 2018 of the artist's creation in France, United States, United Kingdom, Israel and Palestine.
The trafalgar space will host an immersive experience that will take us to the universe of this master of street art and that can be visited as of February 25, 2020.
Since its inauguration, the exhibition has received more than 45,000 visitors And it is extended until December 31, 2021! The exhibition will be open to the public Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and general admission will cost €12.
The World of Banksy: the (unauthorized) exhibition opens on February 25
The master of the streets, who despite the extraordinary success he has managed to remain anonymous –on the website they clarify that “the artist, Banksy, is not associated with the event”–, surprised us on February 14 with a new work in the streets of Bristol (the city where it is presumed he was born): a shot and an explosion of red flowers.
His vindictive and provocative art has made him a legend: how can we forget the moment in which Banksy shredded Girl with a balloon after being awarded for 1.2 million euros, becoming Love is in the trash and doubling its market value?
In addition to crossing borders, The World of Banksy proposes a journey throughout his career to let himself go, to discover or rediscover mural works that have disappeared, either by the passage of time, covered by the hand of man or stolen from passers-by by commercial desire. Beyond any attempt to reveal who Banksy really is, the show tries to put his work in context and invite the visitor to enjoy this experience.
The World of Banksy can be visited from February 25 at the Trafalgar Space
SOME WORKS PERFORMED IN THE TRAFALGAR SPACE
Palestinian-Israeli pillow war: Banksy installed this stencil in one of the rooms of the Walled Off Hotel, located in front of the Bethlehem wall, and which he decorated together with other international artists and designers. The touch of the master of urban art and his sense of humor are recognized. The Israeli (the soldier) and the Palestinian (the protester) could not otherwise fight in a hotel room.
flower launcher: This graffiti shows the deep antimilitarist spirit of the artist. With an ironically peaceful gesture, he represents a man about to throw a bouquet of flowers.
There is always hope (girl with balloon): Appeared in the London neighborhood of Southbank, this work is one of the most emblematic of Banksy. There are multiple interpretations, but the most immediate is that the girl either tries to retrieve the red heart-shaped balloon or lets it go forever. The balloon represents here a symbol of fragility, innocence, hope or love. So, is she looking to get him back or get rid of him?
Palestinian-Israeli pillow war
The rat out of his bed: Initially installed in 2002 in Los Angeles, this work was dismantled and moved to Brooklyn (New York) in 2013 in order to avoid its imminent disappearance, since the rough plaster support would not stand the test of time. It ended up being sold at auction (with a starting price of 360,000 euros) and in the hands of an anonymous collector. After a while it reappeared in the same place, but this time with a stencil depicting Pope Ratzinger and that preserves the original text: “I'm out of bed and dressed. what more do you want?” It is not known for sure if this version is the work of Banksy.
Forbidden to play ball : No Ball Games appeared for the first time on canvas in 2006, in the exhibition organized by Banksy “Barely Legal”, in the central neighborhood of Skid Row in Los Angeles. Three years later, the artist reproduced the work in his mural version in Tottenham, north London, on the wall of a shop located at the intersection of Tottenham High Road and Philip Lane.
Laugh while you can: It was placed on the wall of a Brighton nightclub in 2002. This work and its ape will be taken up by Banksy on multiple occasions. It is a perfect example of the black humor that he has displayed since its inception. Banksy positions himself between staunch criticism of the man who subjugates other living beings and alertness to a revolution that is already looming. The ape dressed as a street vendor carries a bad omen: "Laugh while you can, but one day we will be the masters." Obvious reference to the cult film Planet of the Apes.
The master of street art arrives in Barcelona
50th Anniversary of the 1968 revolution in Paris. The birth of modern stencil art: Painted by Banksy in 2018 near the Center Pompidou, it was stolen on the night of September 2, 2019, although shortly after its appearance, on June 25, 2018, the museum installed a plexiglass plate as a security measure. This work was on the back of an entrance panel to a car park and is a double wink: a reference to the revolution of May 68 and an allusion to the birthplace of stencil art in Paris.
Participated in this exhibition a dozen anonymous street artists that will also leave an ephemeral mark. This exhibition, like all those dedicated to Banksy before it, is not authorized by the artist.
Who is Banksy?
Address: Carrer de Trafalgar, 34, 08010 Barcelona See map
Schedule: From Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday until 10pm.
Half price: Adults (over 25 years old): €12, Students (from 13 to 25 years old): €9, Students (from 6 to 12 years old): €6, Children (up to 6 years old): Free, Groups (from 10 people): €8, People with reduced mobility: €8