He says that one of the people who has most influenced him in his passion for art, was the late Diana, Princess of Wales. His name is Banksy, and he is a famous British street artist beloved around the globe and yet, he has been able to remain anonymous. His legions of fans say it's alright; they don't need to know him or see what he looks like, because his masterpieces speak volumes on their own.
When iconic Time magazine named Banksy to its list of of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2010, he was sitting in grand company. President Barack Obama and Steve Jobs were just a couple of heavy hitters who had made the cut with Banksy. The shy and charming artist supplied the publication with a photo, cleverly preserving the status quo. In other words, the snapshot featured Banksy with a recyclable paper bag over his head.
Banksy's striking graphic signature style often features images of children, soldiers, police officers and celebrities created from spray paint and stencils. His urban anti-establishment artwork critically examines world issues that pertain to terrorism, political authority, child abuse in the Catholic Church, climate change, poverty, greed, alienation, etc.
Banksy enjoys seeing his distinctive art take form and prefers the strong messages stencils can deliver. The artist might be secretive, but he realizes how having a broadband can connect you to the world, and many say he controls his own narrative via email. Banksy is revered as an international icon, and to prove this, one only needs to look at the numbers. These days, his incredible artwork commands hundreds of thousands of dollars in the auction houses of Great Britain and the United States.
For instance, in 2014, Banksy had left a mural on a doorway in Bristol, England. It was titled "Mobile Lovers" and unfortunately, removed by crowbars. The mural, which depicts two embraced lovers checking their cell phones, was later sold for $670,000.
