(The Grin Reaper by Banksy)
Banksy is an anonymous graffiti artist from the UK whose work has become world famous and his studio works now command enormous prices in auction.
His stencil and spray-paint works first started to appear on the walls of buildings in and around Bristol and London in the early 90s.
Soon they spread to other areas of the UK.
The mainly positive reaction that he got to his work must have encouraged him to go further afield. Most famously, marking the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and, even more audaciously, on the Dividing Wall in Bethlehem.
However, if you are making humorous or serious, social and political statements then there are other places to make them besides walls and studios, and Banksy's been there.
Urban graffiti artist? Maybe it should be more “Mission Impossible” artist with some of the stunts Banksy has pulled over the last few years
London and Bristol Zoos
Unfortunately there are no photographs available, but it was reported in the British media, that he had somehow got into the penguin enclosure at London Zoo and painted in seven foot (170cm) high letters
“We're bored of fish”
Similarly he had managed to get into the elephant enclosure at Bristol Zoo and painted
“I want out. This place is too cold. Keeper smells. Boring, boring, boring."
The British Museum
During normal opening hours, with a false beard, he got into the British Museum and amongst the exhibits placed a hoax “caveman” relic on the wall with the title “Early man venturing towards the out-of-town hunting grounds".
Carefully imitating the explanatory cards at the side of other exhibits, he described the fake stone-age relic as:
"This finely preserved example of primitive art dates from the Post-Catatonic era.
"The artist responsible is known to have created a substantial body of work across South East of England under the moniker Banksymus Maximus but little else is known about him.
"Most art of this type has unfortunately not survived. The majority is destroyed by zealous municipal officials who fail to recognise the artistic merit and historical value of daubing on walls."
It was reputedly on the wall for three days before being spotted by museum staff.
The BBC reported “The British Museum praised the way his rock was hung
"It looked very much in keeping with the other exhibits; the explanatory text was quite similar”
A spokesperson for Banksy said he sneaked the work into the museum on Monday and it was found on Wednesday.
He ran a competition on his website for fans to have their photographs taken with the rock, offering a shopping trolley as a prize.
The British Museum is now the owner of this work which Banksy has donated to the museum and which they loan to him for exhibitions.
Disneyland
Banksy visited the Disneyland theme park, California.
According to his spokeswoman, as a stunt to highlight the plight of terror suspects in the controversial US controlled detention centre Guantanamo, in Cuba
The inflatable handcuffed figure, dressed in prison overalls and black hood was placed inside the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride.
The figure was in place for about ninety minutes before staff spotted it and closed the ride to remove it.
The Galleries
Banksy has managed to smuggle his own works into the Louvre in Paris, London's Tate and four of New York's top museums.
"My sister inspired me to do it,"
"She was throwing away loads of my pictures one day and I asked her why. She said "it"s not like they're going to be hanging in the Louvre'."
Taking up the challenge, Banksy said: "I thought why wait until I am dead?"
The Louvre
Although unable to locate a copy of the picture, it was reported (Reuters) at the time that at a third attempt Banksy managed to install a “smiley faced Mona Lisa” in the Louvre in Paris.
The Tate
Disguised in a trench coat, hat and false beard he smuggled in a picture of a rural landscape surrounded with police exclusion tape. The explanatory card read:
"Banksy 1975. Crimewatch UK Has Ruined The Countryside For All Of Us. 2003. Oil on Canvas".
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
In the Great American Painting Wing “You Have Beautiful Eyes”
The Museum of Modern Art, NYC
In the third floor walkway: “Discount Soup Can” in the style of Andy Warhol.
The Brooklyn Museum
In the Great Historical Paintings wing: “Soldier with Spray-Can”
American Museum of Natural History
In the Hall of Biodiversity: “Withus Oragainstus.”
He managed to smuggle and install the four works in the American galleries on the same day!
