Is BANKSY Deep or Dumb? - Wisecrack Edition 

Quick correction: We were referring to PAUL Mann, not Thomas Mann, in a work titled “The Theory-Death of the Avant-Garde.” Thanks for pointing that out for us!

It's the same thing that happened to _The Simpsons._ They started out criticizing popular culture.... but then they *_became_* popular culture.

All things are marketable for capitalism even anticapitalism.

Well he never claimed to be deep. He said himself "I can't believe idiots buy my graffiti for millions"

"Anti-Capitalism" -Brought to you by Capitalism.

And yet nobody asks _how is Banksy_

It is terrifying to see Garix, kidnapped, dyed and his eyebrows shaved off. #freegarix

Banksy is like a Rorschach test - what you see in Banksy tells more about you than it does about Banksy.

Can we take a second to talk about how terrifying that claymation clip with the pig was?

If Banksy truly wanted to be an anti-artist, he should have become an accountant.

I was always fascinated by Banksy. Like, I didn’t think you could gentrify vandalism, but through sheer force of Will he did it.

I'm not sure what to think of Banksy's success. I think it's cruel to expect artist to starve, but at the same time it does seem to go against what he's trying to say. But if no one sees or notices art it dies. Maybe the fact that people are talking about this, instead of what happened on the Bachelor is the most important thing Banksy art has done. People are engaged in the discuss on the impact of capitalism on art and our daily lives and the very meaning of 'art.' Maybe that's the point, just to have the discussion.

Banksy is to visual art as Nirvana is to music. Anti-consumerism sold as a commodity.

I'm surprised the biggest problem of Bansky (in my opinion) wasn't even touched on: his work is merely critical, not propositional. Yes, "capitalism bad", but critiques of capitalism are so commonplace nowadays that merely critiquing, while important, ends up being shallow. Banksy is a great artist in the sense that he gets his message across brilliantly and effectively. Even if said art is eventually gentrified, its effects and messages remain in the popular imaginary. But he can only do so by sending arguably shallow messages in the first place (after all, even simple pieces of officers kissing can be misinterpreted).

The ONLY thought Banksey provokes in me: - every 10 years or so an artist challenges my preconceptions about the value of art and I really couldn't give a shit anymore. Banksey sold a picture for 2 million dollars and then he shredded it! BAM, take that Malcolm's preconceptions about art! The older I get the less interested I am in stunts and the more I appreciate painting, architecture, photography, installations and sculptures. Shameful I know.

I feel like your confusing post modernism and dadaism, Andy Warhol would have been a better example of some one who challenged what we considerto be art where dadaism was more railing against art trends. Warhols's Brillo's boxes specifically.

"Hipster Disneyland" summed up my opinion. This was a very well spoken and felt well researched as an intellectual debate. So thank you for the content.

Banksy's 'street art' is showcased in museums, behind glass... how ironic.

Don't do anything because Post Modernism.

Banksy is one of the best living examples of a contradiction. hates capitalism yet is in the market selling his work for millions. hates society's hierarchy of fame and idolisation = has millions of fans worldwide. wants people to agree with this ideology, but them agreeing with him and investing in his character is the problem itself. Ultra confusing, but I hope intentional stuff. Clever guy

Banksy might just be a guerrilla remodeler. Think of all those buildings that have holes in them now.

I always saw the kissing cops picture as a metaphor for nepotism and corruption within the police force to protect their own even if it's against public interest

I enjoy Banksy. Though I don't think that his works are going to bring down the establishment of high art, they certainly highlight its idiosyncrasies. Also, many of his art pieces use provocative imagery to elicit uncomfortable thoughts about the world that we live in. For that, I say, all the better.

I always thought that for someone who hates capitalism so much, it's insane how much he benefits directly from it.

"You can make people swallow anything." - Marcel Duchamp

*_I really missed Thug Notes so much. Why does Wisecrack never make a single Thug Notes video for 2 years since IT?_*

Dada-ism had nothing to do with capitalism or modern life. It began it's life as a movement in the interbelic period (after WW1) and it's objective was to re-define the concept of beauty. The way they chose the name was by opening a Russian dictionary to a random page and picking a word entirely at random "DADA: a wooden rocking horse" . The very little effort they put in naming the movement, was reflected in their artwork. Hence why it's one of the shortest art movements, dying with the start of the second WW. The movement has very few merits apart from starting the modern fine art movement, which I still question whether it was a good thing for the world and it's culture.

"Thats not art" You saying that is exactly why it is art

"Art is making something out of nothing and selling it." - Frank Zappa

Y'know who I'd love to see you guys cover? Bill Waterson/Calvin and Hobbes.

You say damned if he does damend if he doesn't, but if he had shredded the whole painting instead of just half of it, it would't've doubled in value.

Thank you. This was very thought provoking. I've had the good fortune to see his work in NY during his "Better Out than In" tour a few years back. I was one of the "street art" loving fools who played a part in the great social experiment of rushing to find his work before the haters could destroy it. In spite of the response of his audience, whoever they may be, I think his work has legitimate meaning and aesthetic value. His piece in the LES with the oil barrels and the car with targets all over it and people inside and a painting of the 4 horsemen in night vision goggles was a profound commentary on the dehumanizing and detached act of "distance warfare" that countries like the U.S. engage in without regard to the human toll for all involved. At his best Banksy is smart, witty and insightful and his work can in fact be quite moving. That is the reason I think his work will have an enduring quality despite his embrace by the mainstream and public at large making him seem like a "sell out". The fact that he is so recognized simply means his work speaks to people in a way that's genuine. It's not his fault that he has been commodified. In fact, it seemed inevitable. He even mocks himself in his one piece of a guy selling "capitalism Sucks" t-shirts to a long line of buyers. Brilliant

I "studied" ETTGS, it's one of my favourite docs/mock-docs. Banksy brings into question our understanding of a documentary - about halfway through the "narrative" flips and everything we see becomes so heightened and unreal that we are forced to doubt its authenticity. I could go on but the main point of ETTGS is to question how we consume art, how art is defined and what makes an artist. Mr Brainwash is Banksy's twisted reflection of the state of the art world. In short if you want to get the message of the film, just read the title. Regardless, the volume of debate his art and actions spark alone is enough for me to say we're better off with him around.

So, in other words, Banksy is the "grunge music" of the art world, in that he is not bringing anything new to the table but rather taking all of the classic subversive tropes of other genuinely subversive genres and making them more "pop" and digestible for the very people who are the subject of the subversion.

woah who is that ginger claiming to be garyx? anyways i once read that banksy art is like that of an edgy teenage white boy and thats an undeniably apt comparison

This is some excellent editing! Im very happy with the use of cuts between media and narration. Many channels use lazy quick cuts to attempt to create a fluid flow auditorily but it disrupts visually. just subscribed!

A bit of inside knowledge for you to consider. I'm an old school UK graffiti artist. I remember when Banksy was just a solo act doing more traditional graffiti art around Bristol. He was always a bit of a chancer, horning in on projects (ripping off a fellow graff artist and friend of mine on a commission in Bristol). He's a talker covering up for his mediocre painting skills with an ability to promote himself. He gained fame from ripping off Blek Le Rat doing the rat stencils in prominent spots around London and the UK. This got him noticed by Damien Hirst and they became friends and Banksy got introduced to people like his former agent Steve Lazarides. Banksy adopted Hirst's Science model (a company setup by Hirst where underpaid art graduates make his artworks in a assembly line fashion and Hirst merely signs them at the end). So Banksy did the same thing setting up his own company and getting a team of graffiti and street artists such as Ben Eine to create and execute Banksy's work both in the studio and on the streets and selling prints via his POW company and another ( I think it was called Blank Canvas that found street spots to feature artworks sometimes with collusion with the property owners in order to boost the property value). He continued to game fame with PR stunts executed by his team (often with permission from the property owners) posing as political statements in order to boost his brand value and continued to pilfer ideas from other lesser know artists just like Hirst does. With the self destructing Girl canvas that was a PR stunt to increase the price and keep him in the public eye as the auction house was in on it, as anyone with a bit of sense or knowledge would know the work would have been inspected first to check the condition and legitimacy of the piece (by removing it from the frame) and no one noticed shredding machinery and the gap in the bottom of the frame? The slave labour stance is a joke too as he'd get very cheap Chinese artists to paint gallery works in oil paint for his exhibitions making out he'd painted them himself. So Banksy like Hirst is a good salesman who met the right people at the right time, but is a complete hypocrite and morally bankrupt and is just there to be hoovered up by those who think they're smarter/better than most of population because they read a broadsheet paper, adopt all the latest hipster trends, have a hedge fund, went to a private school, or have a property portfolio. Dig beneath the shallow veneer of glib rebellion you'll find a hollow, well oiled marketing machine.

Great video. You did the subject matter justice, and tackled a good amount of the historical references (on Dada and Duchamp's conceptualizations) quite well, while keeping things fairly simple. 👏🏾

That Swisha House T-shirt though! Nice job Jared!! Awesome video as well.

My interpretation is he was an edgy youth who sold out soon as he thought he could make money. My question is how *he* got there, and I think it's just having simple mass appeal and a good business sense. Culture does need a good disruption, but he's basically CEO of Banksy Inc. at this point.

Thanks Wisecrack for capturing the struggle of being an artist. Wanting to make a change with your art work only for it to become part of the machine.

Dear Garrix, I know earthling culture is fascinating, but getting plastic eyebrow surgery and calling yourself Mark is getting into unhealthy obsession territory. Please take care of yourself. A concerned earthling enthusiast and fan

Love your logo!!!

Love the references that were used and Exit through the gift shop is a cleaver mocku/documentary!

Who is this Mark guy? Lying about being Garrix, this won't stand

Most of his stuff is iam14andthisisdeep material. But with his very limited style, it is hard to communicate complex context or nuanced opinion. However, having perfected this style, he gets his point across perfectly. His anti-mainstream attitude is undeniably ironic though.

"Girl with balloon" is a great statement about the cooptation ability of the art market! Banksy's so deep, I can't even see him anymore.

A woman plunging to her death holding a shopping cart. Take THAT consumerism! So edgy. So brave.

Banksy is the real world version of r/im14andthisisdeep

Banksy's artwork is stolen from the streets and put into museums. He's said many times his work should be transitory, like all street art. It's not designed to last.

Really well done.

I once saw a banksy exhibition with the evils of capitalism as the main topic. It was expensive.

I feel like Duchamp had some legit jokes that were interesting and uncommon. Banksy's ideas are fit of a 16 year old edge lord. I'm voting dumb, but I do appreciate him as a cultural phenomenon.

feels more like the actual question is: did capitalism kill art?

I feel like Banksy is incredibly smart, but not smart enough to overpower the rampant stupidity that he's fighting.

Wisecrack's Jared has a mortal enemy: the hairdresser

Pretty sure Monty Python invented the gay cop joke, and arguably did it better ;)

But Supreme is a (Mis)Appropriation of Barbara Kruger’s Art

Sad you did this much research without even mentioning Blek le Rat. :'(

Great vid

Just in time for my essay tomorrow, thanks guys! 😁

You’ve only really considered Banksy’s work from the past 10 years and added that conclusion to their entire body of work. Shout out to Blek le Ray who you forgot to mention.

the commodification of....well everything causes me so much anxiety. another amazing thought-provoking video, as usual xx

Excellent!

I'm an engineer. There is a beauty in simple function the mental processes that creates and understands it. People can't see all the time. Reminds me of great instrumentalists playing on the street. This doesn't mean you're wrong it's just perspective. Premise one hipsters define themselves by rejecting the main stream. Premise two hipsters are main stream. Any philosophy that is a failure by it's own measures if it is appreciated or widely adopted is foolish. Hell I like absurdism so keep at it.

Banksy is the smarter-than-thou pretentiousness of the art world personified.

Duchamp's Fountain was not accepted. It was put in the exhibition through gritted teeth, and caused quite an uproar. His sister through everything away after a while. In the (I think) 80s people suddenly recognized that he was a genius and he recreated the urinal from scratch (rather defeating the purpose).

I always loved seeing new Banksies in.Brighton when I was a student.

Personally, I feel like anything with a "deep" message that can be boiled down to "x is bad" is ironically too surface level to really be "deep".

Dadaism, anti-art and post-modernism has just reduced the art world to its ultimate form: A parody of itself, a circle-jerk where everything only has value because other people believes it has value and the pieces are constantly and deliberately proving that.

it seems like hes just having fun and i love it

Anti-Capitalist multimillionaire huh... Aahh what a fitting portrait for todays world.

"The Revolution will be sold to us." -Mr. Robot

Does that mean spongebob memes are postmodern art? Because I'd rob a bank for a peice

I love that you guys made an art video please make more on the subject 👍🏻💕

great vid

How did the Rickest Rick become the Rickest Rick?

Comment Section: 1) Oh, so in other words/basically, Banksy is just a (gives witty, ironic term summing up a 16-minute video that's ALREADY summing up a longer conversation) 2) Mark/Garrix conversation

Wisecrack is asking if something is "Deep or Dumb"? * in a thick Scottish accent * "Alexa, search for Alanis Morissette"

Pop culture is like what Nietzsche said about monsters. “Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster....for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you” You fight pop culture hard enough and you become pop culture.

How can you say something so controversial yet brave?

Unnerving to see Garrix without the makeup but knew Mark's voice immediately...good to meet you Mark!

A much more effective strategy for the "Balloon girl", would have been to be having him or some "authorized Banksy art resellers" to be handing over original copies of the same artwork at the entrance of the auction house. Just there, handing over hundrers of thousand of them to the people on the streets and people leaving the auction house. Yes, it wouldn't be as dramatic, but the moment I heard the news on that ballon girl artwork, i inmediatly thought that it would be worth much more in its current state.

This Deep or Dumb series, I like it... Another!

I don't usually like Banksy, But destroying his recently sold work was peak memege What I most enjoy about Banksy was his underground graffiti war with Robbo

“Banksy: The Commodification of Counterculture” Don't underestimate the brilliance of commercial artists… or even people who design urinals for a living.

My definition of Art: Art should be something you create with passion.

Jared is really rocking the Redhead-Rene-Descartes look

also duchamp was commentating on low brow vs high brow art..and the role of the museum

I see you with that SWISHAHOUSE shirt. S/O to Texas!! H-Town!🤘🏽

If Banksy really want to destroy that painting he should have put an Ink bomb not by shredding it! Publicity.

The masses being able to consume his art ensures the message is spread far and wide. He doesn't always hit the mark, but if he doesn't create work with the intention of capital gain, then it can still subvert what it means to. It almost adds to the irony and obviously reach of the art when it is commodified in the way that it is.

I like Banksy as an artists, as an edgelord, mememaster, and vulture of the upper class. Go Banksy!

Banksy is perfectly happy engaging in the commerce, else he would not cultivate himself as a brand.

I would've loved the shredded painting, That shit's hilarious

Check "guy on the phone's" face at 6:15 LMAO XD

Imo, hes pretty creative.

For a further insight into Dada read _Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the 20th Century_ by Greil Marcus

at 11:30 the question is "whether this is just a sign of Banksy's success?" - My answer - no, it just confirm's people's stupidity, gullibility and greed, as no piece of art is actually "worth" anything

His mysteriousness is so attractive!