Banksy Museum, Barcelona Spain
During our trip to Spain, my husband and I were excited to visit the Banksy Museum in Barcelona and do a review. Brought to Barcelona by the producers of The World of Banksy in Paris, it is home to 130 reproductions of the legendary street artist’s work.
Banksy Museum Barcelona Review
Whether you love or hate the work of Banksy, the England based street artist is an undeniable force in today’s art world. The stirring ode to Banksy comes through strong and clear as the museum celebrates some of his most iconic works. The legendary artist and activist has still kept his anonymity, all the while taunting the art community. His audacious shredder stunt, which shredded his famed girl with a balloon artwork right after it sold at a London auction house (Oct 2018) shocked the world. The stunt brought even more attention to the artist.
The Museum Layout
The museum consists of three levels and is over 21,000 square feet. The reproductions feature artworks from all over the world. Banksy’s work from his home country of England can be found on the main floor. The layout of artwork throughout the museum is beautifully curated. Accompanying each artwork is a description, often including a story of when the works were first introduced to the public. In addition to stencils, prints and canvases, the museum includes videos, complete installations and more. I especially liked the three dimensional installations upstairs. Of course, Banksy has always been anti-establishment, as well as a nonconformist. It was great to see so many of his works all together in one building. Banksy’s passion for activism prominently stands out along with his sense of humor.
Favorite Banksy Artworks
Some of my favorites: 1. “Kissing Copper” 2. “Migrant Child” 3. “If Graffiti Changed Anything it Would be Illegal” 4. “Grannies.”
The “Kissing Copper” stencil was sold at a Miami auction in 2014 to an anonymous buyer for 520,000 euros. Portraying two policemen kissing, it showed up in the centre of Brighton.
Banksy compassionately depicts children through his art. It is obvious he mourns their loss of wonder in today’s world. One such mural popped up during the 2019 Venice Biennale. The theme of the art fair was “May you live in interesting times.” Apparently the artist’s response to this theme was Migrant Child which spotlights the distress of immigrants.
Another popular piece is “If Graffiti Changed Anything it Would be Illegal” (see pix above). This provocative mural appeared on a wall in Fitzrovia, London. It was the day after Easter in 2011 during a tumultuous time for street artists. Many were being tracked down, arrested and some imprisoned.
Finally “Grannies,” a limited edition screen print (part of a series) was originally exhibited in 2006 at Banksy’s Barely Legal exhibition in Downtown LA. The artwork features what appears to be two elderly ladies knitting. When examined more closely however, one can read “Punks Not Dead” and “Thugs for Life” on the garments. The words, along with their devilish smirks, suggest they must have had a rebellious past, and looks can be deceiving.
If you are a lover of street art and the legendary Banksy, this is one stop you will definitely want to make. ETG Tip: While you are there be sure to visit the bathroom. BANKSY MUSEUM, Carrer Trafalgar, 34, 08010 Barcelona; https://museobanksy.es
CLICK HERE for more articles about Spain; ETG wants to encourage our readers to visit official tourism websites for Barcelona as well as Spain – https://www.barcelonaturisme.com; https://www.spain.info/
