I was lucky to have recently stayed in Vancouver, Canada, where one of the famous Banksy exhibitions took place. I could finally see some of his iconic paintings in person. Perhaps one of the world’s most well-known and celebrated graffiti artists, Banksy has produced an incredible number of works during his career. In 2025, you can experience "The Art of Banksy: Without Limits" exhibition in Vancouver, running from February 20th to May 25th, at 1 Alexander St. Open 7 days a week. Here is some of his work that I photographed at this exhibition:
Banksy’s paintings have sparked thought-provoking conversations, challenged norms, and transcended the boundaries of conventional art. Banksy is a pseudonym of the British-based world-renowned street artist, political activist, and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation.
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Active since the 1990s, his satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humour with graffiti executed in a distinctive stencilling technique. His works of political and social commentary have appeared on streets, walls, and on bridges throughout the world.
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His work grew out of the Bristol Underground Scene, which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. Banksy began as an artist at the age of 14. He was expelled from school and served time in prison for petty crime. According to Hattenstone, "anonymity is vital to him because graffiti is illegal".
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The Mail on Sunday claimed in 2008 that Banksy is Robin Gunningham, born on 28 July 1974 in Yate, 12 miles (19 km) from Bristol. In 2016, a study by researchers found that the incidence of Banksy’s work created with the known movements of Rob Cunningham.
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From Artilife.com:
“Banksy kicked off his career in the 1990s, and has managed to keep his identity under wraps in the decades since. t seems almost impossible that somebody so famous has managed to escape detection for so long, but according to his former agent Steve Lazarides, Banksy has used some very creative methods to stay anonymous.
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Seeing as nobody knows who Banksy is, it begs the question: how exactly does he get paid? Like the majority of street artists, he doesn’t actually make any money from most of his work due to the fact that he paints onto walls rather than canvases.
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A website dedicated to authenticating alleged Banksy pieces — is the only point of sale for his new work when it’s available, although new releases are extremely rare. In addition, Banksy has made money from other projects, including his best-selling book Wall and Piece, and the Oscar-nominated documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop.
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Those who want to own one of his pieces will usually have no choice but to turn to the secondary market. Current estimates suggest there are only around 30,000 authentic prints in existence, all in understandably high demand.”
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Banksy’s message is usually anti-war, anti-capitalist, or anti-establishment. Subjects often include apes, rats, policemen, soldiers, children, and the elderly.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksy
More pictures from Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/banksy/?hl=en
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If you missed the Vancouver Exhibition, there is one in Switzerland too:
The Mystery of Banksy - A Genius Mind - Lausanne - March 7 - June 29, 2025. The flagship exhibition by street art legend Banksy!
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