I Am Banksy: Artist of the Year

A Phantom With A Stencil And A Can Of Spray Paint, Maybe The Premier "Guerrilla Street Artist" In The World, Banksy Is Almost Impossible To Find, But His Work Is Everywhere. And He Makes People Very, Very Happy.

By Colby Buzzell | Dec 1, 2005

"Bus stops are far more interesting and useful places to have art than in museums. Graffiti has more chance of meaning something or changing stuff than anything indoors. Graffiti has been used to start revolutions, stop wars, and generally is the voice of people who aren't listened to. Graffiti is one of those few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don't come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make somebody smile while they're having a piss."
—Banksy, Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall

I'd never heard of the graffiti artist named Banksy until Esquire sent me to London to find him, which I did.

Right before I left the States, the magazine provided me with a list of art-world people to contact once I got there, people who might help me locate Banksy, but I paid about as much attention to that list as I would a parking ticket.

All I knew about the guy was stuff I read on the Web and his site, banksy.co.uk, which has a bunch of photos of his graffiti art and stencils, press clippings of him ... // 96% Remaining

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