Wall and Piece
by Banksy
|
List Price: Our Price: $14.17 You Save: $8.78 (38%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $10.71 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Wall and Piece
Book Review: The Ultimate Banksy Collection
Summary: 5 Stars
"Nobody ever listened to me until the didn't know who I was"
- Banksy
I've always been a fan of street art. I am not going to argue that every tag is beautiful, but some definitely are, and I anyone to point out a visual medium that engages the public more than graf.
Still, a lot of it is pretty boring. Kids writing their names on walls can only hold one's interest for so long. Banksy, on the other hand, is a lot of things. Childish, hilarious, often time brilliant, but never boring. He is the most important street artist working today, and I highly recommend you at least look at this expensive art book in the store. It's amazing.
Using stencils, balloons, posters, markers, traffic cones and whatever else comes to hand, he has created some amazing work. He has hung his own works in major art museums, and he traveled to Palestine to do a number of works on thewall that separates the West Bank from Israel.
The work isn't always good. Some of it is just childish, and some of it is standard graffiti where he's just pissing on a wall to mark his space, but some of it is down right genius.
Banksy is a serious artist who doesn't take himself all that serious. Check out this book, and I am sure you'll be impressed.
Book Review: A Magritte for our Times
Summary: 5 Stars
If you have a taste for subversive art that seeks to redress the dominant discourses of our times, then the work illustrated in this book will give a taste of an important player. 'Wall and Piece' documents Banksy's visual opinions on so many live issues in a manner that will leave you tossing in your bed. He claims that,'I'm going to speak my mind, so this won't take very long.' True. It's only a half hour flip through this generous picture book. But what you experience, as with any strong art, will linger much longer. Herein are his ripostes to 'the people who truly deface our neighborhoods...the companies that scrawl giant slogans across buildings and buses trying to make us feel inadequate unless we buy their stuff'. Pithy texts underscore pithier photos..'a lot of people never use their initiative because no one told them to'. His visual conundrums target those who hold the reins over piece, justice and freedom. So its a vast charter; from corporate capitalism through zoos, police, soldiery, governments,royalty, and to signeage itself. Be empowered; stencilling advice available on the last page. Interested in more on art? see>rodmoss.comBook Review: Captivating introduction to the powers of public art
Summary: 5 Stars
In this book is an excerpt from a letter in which a young man asks Banksy to stop stenciling his childhood neighborhood because it makes the area seem hip and Yuppies are moving in, raising housing prices such that this young man cannot buy a house here. Banksy's book is filled with inspiring, hilarious, and very intelligent statements accompanied by witty captions, but his work is the kind that speaks 1000 words by themselves. A true public artist, Bansky also offers his tips on how to take a town by storm in only one night. The art in this book is a response often times to public advertising; it is essentially a way for the public to respond to the ads that we are forced to see. A great and intriguing book.Book Review: Wall and Piece
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a brilliant book looking at the humorous, sometimes political, occasionally caustic and often thoughtful artwork of Banksy. It shows his most famous pieces, as well as demonstrating just how influential his style has become. This book has some fantastic commentary and quotes from Banksy that really add to the overall package and make you realise the ideas behind the art and artist. I found the paper quality to be excellent and I have to say I enjoyed this book more than expected and it left me with a new, deeper appreciation of Banksy's work. Highly recommended.
Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.
Book Review: finished reading it at the bookstore
Summary: 5 Stars
there isn't much to read. the art speaks for itself.
6 sections to this book:
monkeys, cops, rats, cows, art, and street furniture.
there are a few pages that contain several paragraphs of writing. banksy provides captions for maybe.. approximately half or less than half of his art. towards the back there's one page with "advice on painting with stencils". if you were looking for graffiti instruction, look elsewhere... unless you really want to look at that one page haha. some of his famous quotes are in there.
what a funny guy. funny book. it was worth the money :)