Trying to discover ‘who is Banksy?’

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Banksy: The Man Behind the Wall

by Will Ellsworth-Jones

This book has itself been designed to fit its subject matter with a photograph of one of Banksy’s social-comment-themed stencils on the front endpaper and a still from one of Banksy’s films appearing on the back one. The folios appear at the foot of the page in a spray-can drip-effect in red.  In addition, the chapter openings, with their spray can motifs and stencil typography, also add to the ‘atmosphere’.

Ellsworth-Jones is a journalist who has worked on major British newspapers such as the Sunday Times and Telegraph and this ‘unofficial biography’ betrays his background, reading like a very long magazine article. But that’s OK, as it works.  It is an easy read, and appears thoroughly researched, including a list of sources, bibliography and an index.

It comes across that the author is a fan – this is a positive view of Banksy.  It includes a lot of information about the people who have met him, known him, been part of his ‘rise to fame’, those who do their best to protect him from having his identity exposed and even a few who don’t admire him.  In some ways he treats his subject as a mystery – trying to answer the question ‘who is Banksy’.  He provides whatever evidence he has found during his search for information, including e-mail exchanges with people he contacted.  Especially interesting is the chapter in which Ellsworth-Jones recounts his adventures taking the Banksy tour in Bristol.  There is a tour guide Banksy Locations & Tours, self-published by Martin Bull, which at first covered Bristol but was later  produced in an edition which covers the whole of Britain. 

The book provides considerable detail about Banksy’s exploits creating his artwork and his efforts to stay anonymous, giving an insight in to how his marketing machine works.  He is a published, author, has a film company called Paranoid Pictures, and has links with the music industry in addition to being an artist.  And then there is Mr Brainwash……..

This is a comprehensive look at the man and his work and those around him – as they say the story so far.

Banksy The Man Behind the Wall by Will Ellsworth-Jones  is published by Aurum Press Limited,  2012. £20.00, Hardback. ISBN 978 1 84513 699 4