That Mona Lisa is getting a bit dated now, and those Sunflowers. Thistle is in this year.

Interesting thread.

Yeah, I'm sure many of the messages behind the images just aren't gonna be relevant or make sense to future generations, and are not gonna even be of interest in a nostalgic way. I think the scene is ripe for an artist to come along doing art in a similar style to Banksy but with more up to date subjects that connect more with the younger generation.

You are sounding very bitter these days.

HEre comes the 'you can't afford banksy' come back..... wait for it!

Actually, thinking about that more, Banksy did tackle a big subject with the election print release. He wasn't afraid to possibly upset over half the population by encouraging people to vote a particular way. So it was good he wasn't afraid to do something so controversial, and something he really believed in, but of course in the end it was a bit of a disaster.

He also tackled Brexit. 

Fair question though, but I don't think people are avoiding the big subjects. It's just unfortunate that they are so disgustingly obvious it's hard to be witty/smart/subtle about them without coming across as trying too hard. The urban art world is probably still leaning left overall, so controversial works are still going to appeal to most.

And what is there to be addressed that hasn't been done already? Art (or "art") is so readily available to the masses now, your original concept has probably already been created and shared by some hack on Instagram.

Self-censorship is now down to - "am I being too obvious?" and "has this been done already?" rather than "is this offensive?"

I will chime in 1 more time to add that I missed the boat.. I just recently got my Morons.. so I paid up to have it, and it's in my wall. I don't own, and never will own a flat file. I buy to hang, and enjoy

Now let's have one of these guys that thinks they're outdated sell me a copper, choppers, grannies, mary, etc unsigned

Of course, those who don't have a genuine Banksy print might use the term that they missed the boat, that's fine what I mean is those using those types of comments against people expressing a view.

Maybe this thread should have been named "Do comments on Banksy's prints now feel dated?

Why does art have to be relevant to be interesting. I think any art that makes people stop look and hopefully think is great art. Things in this life we live tend to go around in circles what was popular in the 70,s was seen as dated and tacky in the 90,s but cool and sheik again in the present time. Is a beautiful woman in a pair of bell bottoms out dated? not to my eyes. I think Banksy will have a long shelf life even if at times some feel his work is dated or the artist himself is just no longer relevant. For me personally i feel 90% of his images are still very relevant maybe not in their original context but still relevant in the world somewhere to someone. Images like Rude Copper, Toxic Mary, Donuts, Trolleys, Laugh Now just to name a few are even more relevant now than when they were originally done. Some things in this world will never change wether its dirty cops, corrupt politicians or just plain lazy fat ones, obesity & heath issues or greed ruining our planet. Like most things its all about perspective, what i see is not what others may see and that is a good thing as we are not sheep,,, well most of us anyway...

I can't think of any urban artist other than Banksy, Fairey, STIK or Swoon taking on any world issues at the moment. Many of the popular names seem to be going from one art festival to another painting pretty images on legal walls and churning out prints every few months. Most of Banksys best known images are close to 15 years old and all feel pretty relevant to me.

Apologies if this has been asked before or if it is considered derailing this thread but what do people think would devalue Banksy's work?

I ask, because I had a large record collection with lots of rare Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, Plaid etc. And they were all gaining in value in the late 90s early 00s and then along came MP3s and all the rare stuff I owned became freely available,which devalued most of the stuff I had.

I suppose the equivalent would be if Banksy re-released all prints as open editions. That or he appeared on Love Island or Celebrity Big Brother!

With the way you seem to have caught the art buying bug since you joined these boards I bet you $20 you will one day own a flat file! I mean this in the nicest way but as time rolls by and you see more and more art you like you'll get to that 1st world problem stage of "shit, I want this, but I have nowhere to hang it".
My solution is hmmm I will buy it and soon I will sell something from the wall and put this new guy up. Problem is selling stuff is hard and the file and framing queue mounts up. It's not a negative.

Percy Shelley's "Ozymandias"



I met a traveller from an antique land

Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert... near them, on the sand,

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:



And on the pedestal these words appear:

'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.