According to the law, graffiti is illegal when it is painted on someone else’s property. Banksy, an artist from Britain, has made a career out of painting graffiti in public places. In his defiance of the law by drawing and stenciling designs on unauthorized walls, Banksy’s work was first looked down upon by city officials and property owners; however, his work is now preserved or pieces are broken off and sold. Although graffiti art is regarded as an art crime, people are often able to avoid getting caught since it is usually hard to trace the artist with the unique designs and symbols. In the summer of 2009, the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, located in the south-west of England, showcased an art exhibition featuring over 100 of Banksy’s unique works. According to the article, it is said that Banksy likes to be kept anonymous and not many know about his personal life except that he was born in 1973 in an English town called Bristol. His real name is said to be either Robin Gunningham, Robert Banks, or Robin Banks. Some of Banksy’s most popular works include spray paintings of farm animals, and other street art seen on a wall that divides Israel and Palestine. His work has been recognized by famous celebrities such as Brad Pitt who bought one of Banksy’s works for over 2 million dollars. Banksy has also refused several requests from the infamous sportswear company, Nike, to design advertisements. He is known to be “one of the world’s most famous graffiti artists”. Article: http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/uk-now/read-uk/graffiti-art-or-vandalism
