/https://www.graffitistreet.com/banksys-latest-mural-draw-the-raised-bridge-questions-freedom-hull-2018/
A mural created by the British street artist known as his pseudonym Banksy. This appeared overnight and soon became a sensation to the people of Hull. Unfortunately however it was defaced a few days later and subsequently removed!
I’ve chosen this artist as I like the use of stencils creating striking high contrast pieces, the graffiti style, use of derelict urban spaces as a canvas and the profound, thought provoking messages.
This particular one has a slight hint of colour added to the end of the wooden sword, a red pencil, suggesting the subject as the one who wrote the ‘Draw The Raised Bridge’ in the chalk playground style text.
This message suggests to me a challenge on our freedom of movement, in particular the obvious one for the bridges which separate east and west Hull. Also this can be applied to the most recent worldwide pandemic restrictions of Covid, in which families were separated for over a year and mass isolation occurred.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Follow_Your_Dreams_(Banksy
This portrait shows the stencil of a male, with a forlorn, clothing suggest working class. Quite a depressing, satirical image, but one that perhaps resonates in us at some point in our lives, the realisation that maybe for whatever reason we can’t follow our dreams and achieve the goals we set ourselves. This work was in Boston, it could also be questioning the American dream specifically, is it real?
The two type of text used contrast each other, the freehand spray can graffiti in compared with the capital red block letters ‘CANCELLED’ as though cancelled by some form of authority.
I remember when all this was trees 2010, Detroit Michigan
/https://thenatureofgraffiti.org/2016/01/18/i-remember-when-all-this-was-trees/
A young boy holding a paintbrush and can, next to the text which he must have written. This artwork is on the ruined building of the Detroit Packard Plant. Another example the use of derelict urban space.
I really like the statement of this, it mourns the loss of nature to human development, and what’s left at the end but a pile of rubble. With the population expanding so rapidly I’m sure lot’s of us have experienced what the child might be, seeing our childhood playing areas lost to building and development.
Another thing to note to this mural is the fingerprints of red paint on the can, a little hint perhaps to solve the true identity of the mysterious Banksy?