About this item
A new take on the history of art through the eyes of the international phenomenon that is Banksy.Few would dispute that Banksy is the most famous urban artist in the world today. That he is also a perceptive art historian might come as a surprise to many. Taken together, the myriad memorable works the street artist has created over the course of the past thirty years, constitute an audacious commentary on the history of image-making -- a captivating critique waiting to be pieced together.Armed with little more than stencils, spray paint, and an anonymizing cloak of after-hours darkness, Banksy has forged an alluring identity for himself as an incorrigible prankster who doesn't embrace tradition, but shreds it. Consider Banksy and you think of grubby city walls far removed from elite galleries and privileged museums where art is conventionally shown.
About the Author
www.kellygrovier.com
Kelly Grovier's book on contemporary art, 100 WORKS OF ART THAT WILL DEFINE OUR AGE, has been described as "a major addition to the literature of art criticism and philosophy" (Library Journal) and "the book that generated most debate this year" (The Daily Telegraph) . It was named one of the best books of the year by The Daily Telegraph newspaper, The Huffington Post, The Independent newspaper, Metro newspaper, and Time Out magazine.
His history of London's notorious Newgate Prison, THE GAOL, was selected as "Book of the Week" by BBC Radio 4 and serialized on-air over five days.
He is the author of three collections of poetry, including THE LANTERN CAGE, and has been described by reviewers as "a poet of both truth and beauty" (The TLS) and "a kind of William Blake for the twenty-first century" (Planet magazine) .
Kelly was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was educated at UCLA and Oxford University, where he earned his doctorate as a Marshall Scholar. He is a regular contributor on art to The Times Literary Supplement and co-founder of the scholarly journal European Romantic Review. He currently lives in Ireland.