Expedition #Bansky

#Bansky #15::TwinTowers, NYC, #streetart, #graffiti

#15 :: Twin Towers, Bansky
with a glimpse of surrounding graffiti

Sometime back in the Spring I decided that I should get out of the park (Central Park that is) and into the streets a bit more. The deal I made with myself was that I would spend at least one day a month exploring NYC. For the most part, these expeditions have centered around public art (Expedition Keith Haring, Art. Sofa. Rope.) or some architectural wonder (A Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge, Midtown Reflections). This past weekend, I spent time in the park (photos from that expedition accompany First Steps and New Toys) and a part of yesterday wandering around downtown (photos to follow at some point).

Tonight, I did an impromptu art walk with my trusty phone in hand to see the latest creation from #Bansky -- a street artist of some renown who is currently spending a month as artist in residence in NYC. Unlike my hunt for the Sing for Hope pianos (come to think of it, I have a lot of photos of pianos that need to be posted!), this walk did not involve much search as my colleague MJ (she blogs about her foodie adventures over at Newtonienne Noshes) had very helpfully pointed me to the Village Voice map chronicling his creations around the city.

The puzzling thing about the pieces Bansky is producing is that other artists are destroying the art almost as soon as it's discovered. I was actually a bit surprised that this piece, #15 :: Twin Towers, had survived the day unscathed. Perhaps the subject matter will exempt it from being defaced. Only time will tell. Frankly, I don't get the urge to destroy his work -- it's not like there haven't been graffiti artists that have had crossover success into commercial art. Keith Haring comes to mind here. The best wrap up of the "why" that I could find was a series of quotes from a number of street artists on MTN World. I thought this piece in the Telegraph was interesting as well -- Bansky: Why his critics have got it wrong. As a TOTAL aside, google is an amazing invention (even if it can store my shopping habits and still deliver North Face jacket recommendations to me a year later).

I don't know if I'll get to see any other pieces during Bansky's tenure as artist in residence here in NYC -- if you want to follow along with his adventures, he is chronicling them online at Better Out than In.

#15 :: Twin Towers, Bansky
(edited for Instagram)

Kicking Myself
Oh geez, why didn't I choose the southeastern section of the park for my maiden walk without a cane after surgery this weekend?!? Perhaps Bansky's best "public art" piece to date was the sale of his original art for $60/canvas near the 59th and 5th entrance to Central Park (although not explicitly stated, I am pretty sure that is where the stall was). I want the "This is not a photo opportunity" piece -- badly. Missed opportunity for me. The resulting video is priceless -- captures perfectly how we typically view art for sale on the street. As a personal aside, I like purchasing art directly from the artist as opposed to from a gallery. Typically, I find galleries a little overwhelming and distracting.

I Knew I was NOT TriBeCa hip but did they have to rub it in?
It isn't like I wasn't dressed for a little expedition to TriBeCa tonight. I was totally in black. While, not totally but the comfy non-black sweater was hidden under the black coat. And, I guess, my post-op SAS shoes were maybe a little too much comfort and not enough street fashion. All of that being said, did the two young hipsters really need to ask me if I had antibiotic hand cleaner?!? Really? That is on par with the first time I was called "ma'am" or the first time I wasn't carded.

What I looked like when asked about anti-microbrial hand lotion!

Photo Shoots
Although I was there to shoot the art, I couldn't help myself and had to capture some of the photo shoots that were ongoing during the brief time I was there. A friend of one of the subjects happened upon my Instagram capture and pointed it out to the model. Amazing how disparate lives can intersect on that platform. More so than on any of the social media venues I frequent. Including this one!
The favorite pose seemed to the one studying the art. Personally, I like the feet the best.