Because sometimes prezi doesn't work:
Street artist Banksy is seen here in a still from his documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop. Here he is presenting himself as first an artist, then as a person like anyone else. His art is iconic and he is defending his work to the world, pleading with them to see it as serious art and him as a serious artist. Many people speculate about who Banksy is and a quick Google search will produce many photos of random, everyday men being identified as Banksy. They are not him; his identity remains a mystery because, for Banksy, the art is more important than the man creating it.
1. Banksy chooses to conduct his interview for his self-directed documentary in his studio in London. He is surrounded by a combination of colorful graffiti, art supplies (spray paint cans, paper, books, etc), what appears to be work in progress, sketches, a filing cabinet, and finally his iconic mask taking up residence at his right hand. By completing an interview in his studio Banksy is presenting himself as a legitimate artist rather than a tagger and vandal. He is even saying that rather than simply a graffiti artist, he is an artist that uses the street as a canvas. The sketches show his art as planned, well thought out, and intentional. What Banksy creates isn't an accident, it isn't the product of troubled youth, and it isn't idle. He sets the background here as the star of this scene, the color and vibrancy of the background draws the eye and calls attention to what Banksy considers to be important - the art. He is an artist and this is how he is showing his audience that through the set he has chosen.
2. Banksy is known for his art and anonymity. He lives in the shadows of the art world, even in his documentary he refuses to let his face be seen and his voice be heard. The mysterious nature of Banksy is meant to draw attention to his art. Here he has placed himself in shadows again. He is covering almost everything, except his hands, with black clothing and his face is completely hidden in shadow. Where his hands covered or in shadow, it would be difficult to tell anything about him besides an assumption that he is in fact a he based on his posture and frame. Practically speaking a street artist would want to keep in the shadows to avoid the legal repercussions of vandalizing for the sake of art, such as the legal issues Shepard Fairey has had to face. Banksy has taken hiding his identity to the extent that it has created an identity for him. Controversy over public appearances at the Oscars, whether he would even show and if he did would he be wearing his iconic mask or would he allow himself to be unmasked, are questions that were being asked in 2011 when his movie was nominated for an Academy Award. Here he is clothing himself in the identity created through his anonymity and bringing the focus to his art and the messages he wants people to see. Though there is an iconic Banksy style, it is derived solely from his art rather than his life, gender, race, etc. By hiding his identity, Banksy also creates a person that could be anyone and everyone which allows for a universal ownership of his art.
3. On either side of himself, Banksy has placed faces. He has hidden his own face but lights the faces around him. These faces, however, are not descriptive. The sketch is of a woman but beyond that it is difficult to tell anything about the woman. She appears to be young and African American, but little is given about who she is and what she is looking at. While this could be just an unfinished piece he is working on, in contrast to his hidden face, she stands out. He wants his audience to see her and consider her. On the other side of Banksy is his iconic monkey mask. This mask is the other face; the face he dons when he is out in the world. It is the closest to what he will give people of his identity - a primate. It is primitive and calls attention to the roots of humanity, something we all have in common.
4. A running theme for this photo is what Banksy is hiding and what he is giving. He doesn't give much away. He doesn't underestimate the intelligence of his audience. He hides his face and doesn't make public appearances, but through his art he shows his passions, thoughts, ideas, and understanding of the world. Perhaps his audience knows more about the real Banksy than we think. By leaving out the usual markers of identity in his appearances, Banksy draws attention to not only his art, but what he considers to be his true nature. By hiding his appearance and voice he is confront societal notions about people and the idea that we can know someone by looking at them. He draws attention, instead, to the idea that we should judge people based on actions; what someone does says more about them then what they look or sound like. By excluding accepted ways of creating identity from his identity, Banksy is keeping people from making assumptions based on physical appearance.
5. Little is given to the audience about Banksy; he sets himself in shadows and covers most of his body with black, formless clothing. Here, however, he lets his hands be seen. The lighting is set so that his hands come in contrast to the rest of his body. He brings them to the forefront of the photograph and draws attention to them. As an artist he works heavily with his hands. They are how he conveys his message; whatever other tools he may use his hands are the one controlling the tools. By setting them in contrast to himself he is saying that it is his hands that create the art, his face, his body - him - are not as important as his hands. He is attributing the brilliance of his art to his hands, as if they and they alone are responsible for conceptualizing and creating his art. The posture of his hands is important as well. They are closest to the audience and placed together in a prayerful, pleading posture. Through his hands he is creating his art and asking you to consider it thoughtfully and take it seriously. He has put his art at the forefront of his life and through his hands he is asking people to understand that and to look carefully at his work.
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