good to hear from Steph...

what has happened? have i missed something? have not been here for a week. What happened at POW?

WELL FUCK A DUCK!!
seriously though, steve laz is like the robert mugabe of the art world, i bet he was in on it. I trust him about as much as i trust ian huntly to look after my kids

Few small spoilers here but BBC sent out following info to promote the series yesterday which might help you decide whether to listen. Ideal podcast for a train journey to Glasgow I reckon.


EMBARGOED: 00:01, MONDAY 17.07.23

Ex Banksy employee reveals never heard before stories about the artist in new BBC Radio 4 podcast The Banksy Story

A recording of what could be Banksy’s voice also features in the 10-part series

With Banksy’s first ever retrospective opening at the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art last month, a new 10-part series for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds, The Banksy Story, hears exclusively from an ex-employee of Banksy’s infamous Picture On Walls print shop, who worked closely with the artist during a critical time in his career and recounts fascinating behind the scenes stories.

Producer and presenter James Peak isn't an art critic, or even a journalist. He's a Banksy super-fan, and in this series he gets closer than ever before to Banksy's secret world to tell the story of the graffiti kid who made spraying walls into high art, the anonymous figure who became a household name, the cultural phenomenon who bites the hand that feeds him.

After tracking down Steph Warren who worked at Pictures on Walls just as Banksy was about to explode into the mainstream, James spent a year convincing Steph to tell her story. Steph reveals behind the scenes stories from his tremendous rise, how he got the elite art world on his hook, how he dealt with the increasing pressure of his notoriety, his immense capacity for charity, the way he administrates this secret world, and much more.

For the launch of Banksy’s landmark 2005 Crude Oils show in London, which featured live rats running around, Steph recalls seeing Banksy’s father discover who his son was for the first time; “I remember this one guy stood away from the crowd, then one of the guys helping out in the background said that’s actually Banksy’s dad. I knew that Banksy had told his parents that he was a painter and decorator, because we'd laughed when they'd had to do a show in Vienna, his parents had asked ‘did they not have painters and decorators in Vienna?’. And so for the Crude Oils show, he’d revealed himself to his parents. And his dad had come down to see, and was looking completely open mouthed at what his son had created. And I sort of brought him in and showed him the work… I think he was just completely astounded at what was transpiring, you know? It was a real buzz, you couldn't walk past that installation without being aware of it.”

Between 2003 and 2005, Banksy walked into some of the world’s most famous museums and galleries, placing some of his artworks on the walls. Following a string of stunts in New York including the Metropolitan Museum, someone claiming to be Banksy gave an interview with US radio during which we hear what could potentially be the artist’s voice for the first time – a soft southern accent with an occasional Bristolian twang – describing themselves as a ‘painter and decorator’. During the five minute recording, they display a mischievous sense of humour, explain why and how they pulled off the museum stunts and in doing so, subtly satirise the art world.

They say; “I think it’s testament to the frame of mind most people are in when they’re in a museum really. Most people don’t really notice things and let the world go by… For instance in the Met, they hung a Henri Matisse painting upside down for 42 days I believe it was, until someone told them it was round the wrong way. I was aiming for at least 42 days, but unfortunately didn’t get that far.”

Whether it is Banksy’s voice or just another in a long line of misdirection tactics, The Banksy Story charts the elusive artist’s compelling journey from street artist to global phenomenon, speaking to contributors who were in the room where it happened and featuring analysis by connoisseurs including author and cultural historian John Higgs (The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds).

The Banksy Story is available as a boxset on BBC Sounds from 17th July and broadcast week days at 13:45 on BBC Radio 4 from 17th July.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001nwhs/episodes/guide

nice gonna check this !!!!

FYI. If you live outside the uk you can listen on a podcast -but it’s only uploaded 1 episode per week.

I’m sure someone clever has a work around.

The references to UAA in episode 6 made me chuckle.

For people outside of the U.K i have uploaded the full podcast here enjoy !

soundcloud.com/cosmic11/sets?fbclid=IwAR15NoIe8BFb7L0G7nXfs6AEAhKo-K6GHQ_8Gz7zxa5DzC9xIZTyqlNXfRU

Nothing, The BBC are not like the Sun and do not pay £££ for gossip. 

The guy kept saying he wanted to understand his own Banksy obsession better as his inspiration for the series

Just bumped into that old Thread from 2007 : urbanartassociation.com/thread/80162/message-steph-regarding-pow

Old article from 2021 on Steph : www.hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/articles/culture/arts/from-skater-to-curator/