I actually thought that he made some good points in places. I dont agree with it all and he shows in places that he doesn't quite 'get' it but overall its definitely worth a read.

I agree, hasn't done any research- the park street piece stayed after a public vote. Guy's a complete stuck-up idiot.

"Yet to put your painting in a public place and make this demand on attention while putting so little thought into it reveals a laziness in the roots of your being.

"After wallowing in this stuff for a while, I almost found myself hating Banksy's fans. But actually, it's fine to like him so long as you don't kid yourself that this is "art" - and you don't believe that for one second, do you?

"He is a background artist, as in background music: like all graffiti, his is essentially an accompaniment to other activities."

The article adds nothing new to the debate but really comes across as someone who's been told to do this piece in a short deadline.

Banksy sells papers.

Read the article , then stand back and have a think about it.

A critic would not be a critic if he applauded what is popular.

Think about the readership of ther Guardian - what this article has done is to provide a pre digested mantra for the Chattering classes to bring up at their dinner parties, once School league tables and house prices have been exhausted.

And thats why this article must be taken in context of its readership and their viewpoint.

We all think of City bankers and their kin being the top dogs in terms of cut throat competition.They may get the bad PR , but in the real world , its the croc wearing thrusting Mothers, angst ridden and worrying about mobile phone ariels near their house that are the real competitors.These are the people who devour the Guardian and need these little snippets of information to get one over during the next dinner party or book club conversation.They need the edge to give them advantage, to provide some satisfaction in their lives.

The chattering classes cant exhibit & celebate their success & taste with the glittering baubles of the masses - they cant get a shiny 4x4 or buy a rolex - that isnt allowed, even if they secretly liked them but they can secret away information that can be used in anger to finish an opponent off, in the jousting Bourgeois arena. This is what this article does.

Its too easy to like something isnt it. A gut reaction isnt enough for some people - the badge of intellect is never more proudly worn than when a Guardian reader surveys the popular viewpoint and takes it to his perceived next level - the critique - which shows that not only do you understand the reasons behind the popular opinion, but you have the capacity to deconstruct the idea and add " perspective" to it. ( its irrelevant here that the perspective may not be of your own making or may be fragile to say the least ).

Read the Guardian Culture section recently ? If you wish to see this deconstruction in action, then skim the book reviews - More Tom Stoppard than you can shake a stick at, more Pablo Neruda than you can cope with, more GG marquez than you can eat in one session.Not that anyone actually reads this stuff - you dont have to when the critique is there in forn of you and pre chewed - you can have an opinion on all these highbrow authors without having to gnaw your way through their awful turgid, bloated prose.

I would defy anyone on this MB to defend or Praise - from the heart - Tom Stoppards mealy mouthed self rightous scrawls and dreary stage shows - his work is indefensible toss, yet few of his willing victims have the capacity to dissent and say "wait a minute this is s**te - I want to go home an watch a DVD of "On the Buses"

Popular culture can never be openly accepted as worthwhile by Guardian reader - except perhaps in an Ironic way, as we see with the Eurovision song contest

Its the emperors new clothes writ large.

I suspect there are many Guardian readers on this board - statistically, I would suggest that the Guardian saturday edition is probably the biggest selling Satutday paper amongst readers of this MB.

This writer is merely providing a service to his clients, the readers.It provides further ammunition for their sneering contempt of those beneath them.They may not say that Chavs are scum,. but their use of the term is hardly complimentary & bandied about as an erstatz insult

You like what you like. Sometimes you cant explain it, sometimes its best not to waste too much time analysing why, just enjoy it.

People still look, but sometimes lose the capacity to see.

You wouldn't get writing like that in The Sun!!

Interesting read, of course as a Banksy fan I say the guys an arse.

The biggest thing makes me think the guy doesn't understand where Banksy is coming from is this quote "If he had gone to college, he might be making good money in advertising by now." how wrong could he be?

more tea, vicar?

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

* reaches for toffee hammer borrowed from Bongo "