Banksy in Tribeca

October 15, 2013 Arts & Culture

Banksy with guyThanks to everyone who alerted me to the latest work by noted street artist Banksy, on Staple just above Jay. Maybe “noted” isn’t strong enough—as you can see below, it’s drawing quite a crowd. I didn’t wait for my turn for a good shot of it, but I think you get the drift. (I think I prefer the shot above, where the guy’s shadow looks like part of the work. Also, the orange part is a flower.)

Let’s discuss the art’s merits. I like a lot of Banksy’s work, but what I respond to is its cleverness. I’m glad he didn’t try to get too clever with 9/11 iconography, but this struck me as a but maudlin, something you’d see in art school. Maybe sentimentality just doesn’t suit him?

(Also, it’s been corrected now but at first his website spelled our neighborhood’s name “Tribecca.” Whenever I see the name spelled that way, I think of the old sorority joke: “Tri-Delt—everyone else has.”)

Banksy crowd

Update: Comments have been turned off due to spam. To have them turned back on, email tribecacitizen@gmail.com.

 
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7 Comments

  1. alee
    October 15, 2013 • 3:01 pm

    There goes the neighborhood, again.

  2. Erik Torkells
    October 15, 2013 • 3:17 pm

    Every media outlet in the city is covering this. I find the art to be whatever, but the PR skills are impressive

  3. alee
    October 15, 2013 • 3:39 pm

    Agree on the epic marketing.

  4. jfrankp
    October 15, 2013 • 7:29 pm

    Did you see the one he did where Bob Hope, George W. Bush, and John Wayne are smoking $100 bills and holding umbilical chords that lead to balloons filled with fighter jets? Awesome

  5. Jim Smithers
    October 15, 2013 • 8:09 pm

    I can’t believe we wasted all of that money on the other 9/11 memorial. One can of black spray paint on a brick wall in an alleyway littered with pigeon poo is a proper memorial. Walking passed this evening, you can see that people have left flowers and lit candles in front of this “memorial.” Seriously, what’s wrong with people? Are people really that Tea Party dumb?

  6. Jim Smithers
    October 15, 2013 • 8:34 pm

    Dear Banksy, please remove your graffiti, so it doesn’t become a ridiculous 9/11 tourist attraction. Thanksy.

  7. Lisa
    October 17, 2013 • 8:34 am

    You are in top form Mister Smithers! And you didn’t even have to insult any TriBeCa moms this time around!!!
    Very amusing.
    Thanksy for putting a smile on my early morning face.