STREET ART - Can anyone take part?

Hi Everyone!

I want to express my admiration for an internationally known artist or group of artists named BANKSY. Starting in England and expanded his way around the world since the 90’s! He has wowed the world and after the fact there have been documentaries titling his collection of works as ‘30 Days in New York’, for example.

I was introduced to Banksy by my GR 12 Photography students 10 years ago when a couple students in my class asked me if they could do their portrait assignment replicating a Banksy. This opened up a ‘brand new world’ of exploration for me and I have to say….I’m so happy for that!!

Fast forward to 2018…My friend and I decided to go to Toronto to the Banksy exhibition. After watching a documentary on the illegal selling of Banksy’s works I was leery, however it was something that I decided I couldn’t miss out on. It was evident to me that the controversy need not apply here - there were a lot of projections and original Banksy designs as rough outlines and smaller prints with his signature, as well as a plethora of information on Banksy and what the exhibition intended to show the audience.

Now, I have adapted the idea of ‘the Banksy Effect’ into my classroom as a graphic design assignment, teach street art and Banksy as an art history piece, and in essence I have taken risks in my teaching that have lead to some amazing student artworks at the high school level. Bravo to me!!