Banksy West Bank Graffiti
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Banksy West Bank
West bank is a territory on
the bank of Jordan River in the Middle East.
The Israeli west bank barrier separates Israel
from Jordan
and is highly controversial. Banksy one of
the most celebrated street artist of our times who has achieved
celebrity status due to his unknown identity has created headlines by
turning this wall into his personal concrete canvas.
Banksy
painted nine images on this barrier in august of 2005. These images
include a picture of an open sky as seen through the wall, a ladder
going up and over the wall, a dove of peace with a bulletproof vest
strapped over it, an Israeli soldier being frisked by a young girl with
pigtails, a hole in the wall with a beach on the other side, a mountain
landscape on the other side and children digging through a wall. These
paintings were created on the Palestinian side of the barrier near Bethlehem.
The
barrier is about 680 kilometers wide and is still being erected by the
Israelis. The Israelis have claimed that it is necessary to protect
their people from Palestinian suicide bombers. However many people
condemn this barrier as being illegal and in fact it was accused of
violating international law by the International court of justice.
Graffiti is one of the most common types of protest on this wall and
there are many messages demanding an end to the barrier. However it was Banksys graffiti on the barrier
that drew international attention to it.
Banksy himself
condemned this wall and is said to have created these images to draw attention
to the lives of people living in west bank. He was quoted saying the wall was the ultimate activity holiday destination for graffiti writers.
Banksy has encouraged people to visit Bethlehem
and witness the uselessness of the wall for themselves.
The paintings,
though not as political as his earlier works have nevertheless reflected his
feelings for the wall which he says essentially turns Palestine into the worlds largest open
prison. Banksys spokeswoman has said that he had some harrowing experiences
while paining the wall when some men from the Israeli security force pointed
guns at him and fired threateningly into the air.
These paintings on
the west bank barrier have been thoroughly documented in his book Wall and
Piece published originally in 2005. In the book, Banksy also included the
reaction from an old Palestinian who told Banksy You paint the wall, you make
it look beautiful. When Banksy thanked him, the man replied We dont want it
to be beautiful, we hate this wall, go home.
Although street art is considered vandalism by
many and is in fact illegal, Banksys satirical works have endeared him to many
people and have been described as heart warming. This is evident from the
thousands of pounds his works fetch and the huge celebrity following he has. Banksys
true identity may not be known but his works of art on the west bank barrier have
raised global attention on the uselessness of the wall and are reminiscent of
the graffiti on the Berlin
wall.
