Unknown stencil street and graffiti artist Banksy visual voice uses spray paint and stencils to paint the image of society’s troubles and humor on walls across Africa and the world.
Who is Banksy?
 |
| Banksy's zebra's black stripes |
Banksy is a graffiti and street artist master,
political activist and an Oscar and Academy Award nominated film director whose
real identity is unknown. He is famous for stenciled graffiti on buildings and
walls across Africa and around the world. Banksy was selected as Time
Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2010.
The first modern graffiti artist is widely
considered to be Cornbread, a high school student from Philadelphia
Pennsylvania in the United States, who in 1967 started tagging to get the
attention of a girl he loved.
Back in the 1970s, graffiti was an illegal counterculture
associated with the grimy streets and subway cars of New York City. However,
these days the universal spray can art of graffiti is found around the world,
and Africa is no exception. Graffiti art ranges from underground artists who
work on the street to the mainstream artists selling work in galleries for over
$100,000.
 |
| Graffiti Africa |
Graffiti and street art can be a positive force giving political
activists a visual voice and making cultural statements throughout underserved communities.
In one well-known graffiti artwork by Banksy, a zebra's black stripes are hung
out to dry in the sun in a region of Africa's Mali or possibly Egypt where shortages of water
have created drought conditions for millions.
