Banksy Unveils Mural in London
A new mural by the renowned street artist Banksy has appeared in London. The eye-catching image was first spotted on March 17th on the side of a residential building in Finsbury Park.The mural depicts a person with a sprayer standing beneath splashes of green paint. By itself, the image is hard to decipher. However, when viewed from a certain angle, the bare tree in front of the wall appears to be bursting with leaves.The artwork was completed on St. Patrick’s Day,* a holiday associated with the lush, green foliage of Ireland. Based on the unmistakable style and content of the mural, everyone suspected it was created by Banksy. The following day, the artist posted three images of the mural on his Instagram account, confirming the work was indeed his.Over the last few decades, Banksy has garnered international acclaim for his unique brand of thought-provoking art. The mystery surrounding his identity, which remains unknown even today, has further fueled interest in his work. Perhaps this is why his paintings are so valuable. Indeed, several of Banksy’s artworks have sold for millions of dollars at auction. But despite his overwhelming fame, Banksy does not make any money from his street art, such as the latest London mural.This is because Banksy does not own the street art. As a graffiti artist, Banksy paints most of his murals on other people’s property. Consequently, the owner of the building gets to claim the artwork and any money from its sale.Even so, the anonymous artist makes money in other ways. He occasionally releases new art pieces through his official website, Pest Control. These works usually sell for thousands of dollars. He has also published a best-selling book, titled “Wall and Piece,” and produced the Oscar-nominated documentary, “Exit Through the Gift Shop.”
Questions:
1. Where was Banksy's new mural spotted?
2. What does the mural depict, and what happens when viewed from a certain angle?
3. How did Banksy confirm that he was the creator of the mural?
4. How does Banksy make money from his artwork?
5. Why do you think Banksy's art is so popular?
Do you think it's fair that Banksy doesn't make money from his street art? Why or why not?
