DOCS: The 6 Most Stunning BANKSY Pieces From NYC Residency

Sep 5, 2015
3 min read

The documentary I am most excited to present on Lovingood Filmclub this month is "BANKSY Does New York". Let's face it, Banksy is hot right now, and the brilliance of his strategy that's been captivating pop culture and the Internet for so long is brilliantly displayed in this exciting documentary.

We really don't know who Banksy is. All we know is that he's a pop artist from the UK that specializes in graffiti art with a knack for social media. Banksy decided to take a month-long residency in New York City and lead thousands of art enthusiasts on a wild goose chase around the city...all for the chance to see an original Banksy before its defaced or stolen to be sold for millions at auction.

What's the most fascinating element of Banksy's phenomenon is how he uses social media to harvest his fans. He uses his website and Instagram as a vehicle to his hundreds of thousands of fans, and where he publically displays all of his originals. During his residency, he used Instagram to post a new creation; every day for 30 days across the city. Below are my 6 favorites from the documentary, all Banksy originals:

1. "Hell's Kitchen"

A portrayal of a man in a suit holding a bouquet of flowers...the petals and his skin are the only elements of color in the photo.

In the documentary, before the piece could get defaced, shop door owners cut the piece of art out of the metal door and hauled it off to auction.

2. "Bed Stuy"

Two Asian women, who appear to be in traditional Geisha attire crossing a bridge, reminiscent of ancient Japan and the beauty and simplicity of its innocence.

In the documentary, this piece is defaced fairly quickly, but you'll have to see the doc to witness the fiasco that ensues to prevent it.

3. "Upper West Side"

Spray art of a young boy with a jackhammer, about to smash a red fire hydrant. The use of color here is easy on the eye yet draws a stark contrast from the boy, with the hydrant being the focal center of the piece.

This was one of the pieces in "Banksy Does New York" that was the most protected and preserved. The owners of the corner grocery store around the corner were able to drill a protective pane of glass over the art to preserve it. You can still see it to this day.

4. "Brooklyn"

This Banksy piece was placed so spectators could photograph themselves with it. The simplicity of life signified by a single, mended heart-shaped balloon.

5. "Bushwick"

This is a simplistic piece of the words "OCCUPY! The Musical", with the word "OCCUPY" painted with a straight brush and the words "The Musical" in Banksy's signature spray art.

This piece is quickly defaced, but the amount of fury that is caused around this piece in the streets of New York City were astounding...all for a short glimpse of what would soon be gone.

6. "East New York"

One of Banksy's more famous pieces, this is a life-sized beaver chipping away at what looks to be a decayed street sign.

In "Banksy Does New York", this piece was covered by 3 guys by a piece of cardboard. They were the first of thousands to get to the piece of art and instead of defacing it, they charged money to take a photo of it. Astounding and sometimes aggravating fans, most coughed up the cash to get a glimpse of the artwork. Stunning.

These were only 6 out of 30 pieces created by Banksy during his commission in New York City. Frankly, I wish I could make them all my favorite, but that is for you to judge. To see all 30 of Banksy's works and the chaos he created by watching "Banksy Does New York" on Lovingood filmclub below: