Week 3 - Artist analysis - Banksy

The main topic of this weeks is to focus on the words 'denotation' and 'connotation', which take a key role in the visual world.

'Denotation' simply means obvious meaning of the sign, while 'connotation' means the associations or interpretations that are produced in minds of those who interact with the sign.

They are really important to visual culture as they are the main ideas of how artists or creators of the signs send their main ideas to the audience. The analysis of denotation and connotation can be commonly said as 2 step analysis, which I will be used in this week's task of analysing an iconic street artist, Banksy.

Banksy is an anonymous British graffiti artist who plays a lot with imagery and its connotations in his works, including various techniques like juxtaposition (two things being placed together with contrasting effect) and choosing the location specifically to add meanings to his works.

These are some of his works that I've used 2 step analysis to analyse what I've seen visually.

'Hammer boy'

Denotation: a boy with a hammer

Connotation: he smashed it so strong that the lid went up

'Kissing coppers'

Denotation: 2 men kissing each other

Connotation: LGBTQ+, love, sexuality, social status

'Rage, the flower thrower'

Denotation: A man throwing banquet

Connotation: wedding is nonsense, use peace over weapons

'Unwelcome intervention'

Denotation: beach scene painted on the wall with children

Connotation: some children can only dream about visiting attractions

'Show me the Monet'

Denotation: a scene with nature and trashes

Connotation: Human’s trashes will destroy our beautiful environment one day

'One nation under cctv'

Denotation: the text ‘one nation under cctv’

Connotation: The formation of nation can be formed in people’s mind by only making propagandas

'Napalm girl'

Denotation:a kid holding hands with mascots

Connotation: what we grow up with (Disney and McDonald)

'Mona Lisa Bazooka'

Denotation: a woman holds a weapon

Connotation: Women can be strong too. (Monalisa is a symbol of the most beautiful woman)

After I've tried analyse them with my bare eyes, I explore his works that has been analysed by a journalist here. (Banksy Artworks (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2020, from https://www.theartstory.org/artist/banksy/artworks/#nav)

The analysis articles in this website makes me get to know more about Banksy, for example, his ideas, his techniques, and his purposes of each work. I can also notice little details like the elements in his work and the meaning of locations for his works too. His works have some similar elements that can be identified. From what I’ve seen visually, Banksy often uses black stencils or creates black and white tone on his work. He also played with the environment surrounding his works, which were chosen specifically to fit each work’s idea, and use juxtaposition technique for better meaning and stronger criticism of the society to the audience. His main ideas also often associated with social problems, current affair, races, diversity, and peace.

My ideas before reading the article do have some similar ideas with what the journalist said in the website, for example, kissing coppers, and show me the Monet. The rest of them have meanings that go beyond my thought, still, as they are artworks, they can be interpreted in various ways anyway. I do agree with the majority of the journalist’s ideas, as they seem to be reliable due to the research of Banksy’s formal quotes for his works and background of the places where his works were painted, however, every artwork have no limit in ideas. They can be interpreted in many ways from different perspectives, so some of my first impressions and understandings do contradict with they say too. For example, the reason I interpret the flower thrower as ‘wedding is nonsense’ is because I’ve thought it was referenced to the wedding ceremony’s step when the bride throws the flowers to her friends and the one who can catch it might be the next lucky one to have weddings. It looks like the man in the picture was going to throw the flower back, so I understand that aspect instead. Still, I do agree with the journalist’s note as it have more visual evidences linked to the image.

After I've go through the journalist's article, I've tried to use other searching engine like NTU library to search more about him, and this is what I've found.

(Bull, M. (2015), This is not a photo opportunity : the street art of Banksy, Oakland, California : PM Press, Retrieved 10 October, 2020, from https://ntu-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=NTU_LMS_DS000970385&context=L&vid=NTU_VU9&lang=en_US&search_scope=LSCOP_NTU_LMS_DS&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=local&query=any,contains,banksy&offset=0 )

In NTU library, there is this online-access book about Banksy works from the beginning to the current being. It gives some information of how his first works start to appear to his famous works. It’s a very useful source to find information about his works and inspirations.

After finishing research and analysis about him, I can definitely say that his works are one of the most iconic street arts that reflect society inequality, social problems (from government to environment), and current affair really well. I like how he tries to call out for these issues through his artwork and keep his face anonymous. It shows that his deepest desire is not popularity, but to show his ideas toward the society. He also chooses arts, which is a peaceful way, to call out his thought, not a harmful way to attack or criticise them. Also, his style is also outstanding as he mostly used only black stencil to create works. They stayed simple yet created powerful impact to anyone whom see them. This makes him looks really interesting and remarkable artist for me.