By Emma Coleman, Film and TV Subeditor
In reading week I went to see the Banksy Limitless exhibition in the Sussex Mansions, South Kensington. This is a limited event going on between September and January 2025, showcasing 250 artworks including originals, recreations, sculptures and immersive experiences. I completely recommend this event; I learned so much about Banksy’s history and political message. You can find tickets for it here.
Living in Bristol, we have all seen his work around the city and know his name. But what do we really know about the anonymous Banksy? When walking into the exhibition we are first shown a wall showcasing the history of his work from the early 1990s to his recent work - from Girl with Balloon (2006) to its shredding in 2018, there is something from every era in his career to learn about and enjoy. This shredding happened after the painting was sold at auction for £1.04 million by a hidden mechanism in the frame; it was still purchased and renamed Love Is In The Bin. This showcases his critique of commercialism in art which is why I pose the question, would he want an exhibition dedicated to his work, or does this undermine the very message his anonymity puts out there?
One of the most amazing works I learned about at this exhibition was Banksy’s art on the Segregation Wall in Palestine (2005). Much of this work included children to force people to consider the impact of the conflict on the most innocent members of society, such as the Flying Balloon Girl which reimagines his arguably most famous work with a young girl attempting to fly over the wall. Banksy made a statement saying the wall “essentially turns Palestine into the world's largest open prison,” and that “we don't want it to be beautiful, we hate this wall,” highlighting the purpose of his art in bringing political change and not creating perfect and polished pieces to sit in art galleries.
Another highly ironic piece in the exhibition is titled Morons (2006) and depicts an art auction for a piece of work titled ‘I can’t believe you morons actually buy this shit.’ Not only did I find this very funny, but this is also a clear mockery of the commercialism that has ruined art in the modern day. The main reason I love Banksy as an artistic presence is that he doesn’t create his art to become rich and famous, evidenced by his anonymity, but to put in his two pence on the key political, environmental and social issues of our time. He creates art with a purpose, which was truly evident at this exhibition with the short written explanations of his work and even a 20-minute video explaining his history. Yet, the concept of his work being commercialised in this way still doesn’t sit right with me.
‘Banksy takes these paintings out of their time and into ours and does not leave out any aspect of the modern world’
Some of my favourite paintings were his re-creations of culturally significant art, such as Monet’s Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies (1899), but with the addition of jarring modernistic elements that take the original works beyond beauty to real meaning. Monet’s famous pond now included imagery of litter polluting the water, and Degas’s Rehearsal of the Ballet on Stage (1874) now featured none other than Simon Cowell acting as the ballet master. Art is and will always be at its forefront, beautiful. But art with the ability to do more, like Banksy’s, will always strike me as so much more meaningful and powerful. Banksy takes these paintings out of their time and into ours and does not leave out any aspect of the modern world.
Now let’s talk more about the exhibition itself (not just my obsession with Banksy, which I fear I have made very clear). I loved the carefully constructed rooms, each reflecting the art that was displayed in them. For example, there was a train track reflecting the outdoor environments Banksy paints in, and a LED-lit jungle displaying his works portraying various animals. The last room was a large white space that really reminded me of a fancy train station with a huge wheel in the centre, and a final immersive experience of a collaged video of all of the works previously displayed (minus the gift shop obviously, which was the cherry on top on the commercialisation of the place). The experience was beautiful and I felt like I truly learned more about Banksy; but at what cost?
Daisy Guilor
I think Banksy Limitless amazingly encapsulating this complex and abstract figure, yet unintentionally contradicted Banksy’s artistic philosophy. Confining him to a £36.75 ticket and placing all his work indoors did not truly encapsulate the power of his work. I think a more interesting and authentic experience would be the various Bristol walking tours of his work around the city. I cannot say I did not thoroughly enjoy the experience but overall it was not the best way to showcase such a radical figure.
Featured image: Emma Coleman
What did you think of Banksy Limitless?
