Banksy Was Here: State Strategy Versus Individual Tactics in the Form of Urban Art Author: Meghan Hughes Source: Prandium - the Journal of Historical Studies, Vol

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Title: Banksy Was Here: State Strategy Versus Individual Tactics in the Form of Urban Art Author: Meghan Hughes Source: Prandium - The Journal of Historical Studies, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Spring, 2017). Published by: The Department of Historical Studies, University of Toronto Mississauga Stable URL: http://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/prandium/article/view/28581 Urban art, according to Lu Pan entails a sense of “illicitness that may either pass by unnoticed or disturb the predominant order.”1 In creating this art, the ‘writers’ as they call themselves, seek to subvert the perceived framework of power represented by the city, and create alternate spaces to contest these structures outside the state-sponsored scope. Urban art seeks to subvert and disrupt normative relations between producers and consumers, by creating a space of free exchange. Through this changing and re-appropriating of space, the graffitist challenges the “illusion of ownership” and draws attention to the unseen struggle between the individual and the institutions of the metropolis.2 Using the theories of Michel de Certeau and Georg Simmel to frame my analysis, I will examine the ways in which the works of London-based urban artist Banksy engage in this practice. In exploring the ‘alternate’ spaces that Banksy creates, I seek to demonstrate how his anti-consumer, anti-political works function as avenues to negotiate and re- conceptualize relations between the individual and the structures of power represented by the city. Michel de Certeau’s work, The Practice of Everyday Life is an exploration of the daily practices, or ‘tactics’ of individuals that utilize urban space in a unique or unconventional way. The concept of tactics, according to de Certeau, “belongs to the other.”3 Tactics, more specifically, are “employed by those who are subjugated,” are “defensive and opportunistic” and are ultimately “governed by more powerful strategic relations.”4 Strategy, in contrast, represents “a subject of will and power (a proprietor, an enterprise, a city, a scientific institution)… and thus serve[s] as the basis for generating relations with an exterior distinct from it (competitors, adversaries, ‘clienteles,’ ‘targets,’ or ‘objects’ of research).”5 Therefore, tactics can be understood as the actions of individuals, taken consciously or unconsciously, in order to develop unique “ways of operating” within the context of an overarching framework.6 Urban art then becomes a tactical expression, a platform from which to engage with, and question the strategic operations of the city. Similarly, according to Georg Simmel in “The Metropolis and Mental Life,” there exists a constant strain on the individual within the metropolis to maintain that individuality, and to resist the rhetoric that “reduces all quality and individuality to a purely quantitative level.”7 He also outlines the mental and physical “atrophy” of individualism in a space where communities are encouraged to evaluate each other through the lens of

1 Meghan Hughes is a recent graduate from the University of Toronto Mississauga. She graduated with distinction, majoring in English and History. She originally wrote the paper for the course HIS378 - East Asian Cities. After taking a short break, she plans to return to school to pursue a master's degree in English Literature. She would like to thank Professor Tong Lam, for suggesting she submit the paper for publication, as well as his advice for improving it. Lu Pan, Aestheticizing Public Space: Street Visual Politics in East Asian Cities (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2015), 7. 2 Patrick Potter, Banksy: You Are an Acceptable Level of Threat, and if You Were Not You Would Know About it (London: Carpet Bombing Culture, 2014), “Blatant Provocation.” 3 Michel de Certeau, The Practice of Everyday Life (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984), 17. 4 Andrew Blauvelt, Strangely Familiar: Design and Everyday Life (Minneapolis: Walker Art Center, 2003), 20. 5 De Certeau, The Practice of Everyday Life, 17. 6 Ibid., 18. 7 Georg Simmel, “The Metropolis and Mental Life.” In Metropolis: Center and Symbol of Our Times (1995), 12.

1 consumerism.8 For Simmel, the city represents a space where the value of the individual is based on their ability to produce and consume, and they are recognized as a numerical quantity. Urban art serves to undermine the normative relationship between production and consumption, as “when someone paints a picture on a wall – that is disruption because it is given freely. It’s not a commodity, because there is no exchange.”9 However, an exchange does occur between the artist or writer (Banksy in this case), the art itself, and the observer, which can be interpreted as a form of production and consumption. However, de Certeau’s argument suggests that “consumption is not merely empty or passive, as many critics claim, but can contain elements of user resistance.”10 De Certeau outlines the tactical practice of reading as having “all the characteristics of a silent production” whereupon “a different world (the reader’s) slips into the authors place.”11 For de Certeau, this freedom on the part of the individual to read and interpret their own version of a piece of writing “makes the text habitable… it transforms another person’s property into a space borrowed for a moment by a transient.”12 Thus, urban art can be understood as subverting and re-conceptualizing urban areas into a temporal space where the tactics of individuals create an exchange that challenges the normal operations and power structures of the city. Most importantly, these challenges address the realms of politics and culture of consumerism. The first piece which I will discuss was stenciled by the London artist in Essex, specifically, a town called Clacton-on-Sea in 2014.13 The mural depicts a group of pigeons (a bird usually associated with urban environments) protesting the migration of a colourful African swallow. The pigeons are intended to represent England as a community, making the piece a political commentary on oppositional attitudes to immigration. Banksy has made use of the urban canvas to make his message even more powerful (as seen in the photograph), by depicting the pigeons on a different section of wall (smooth) and separated from the swallow by a clear line. The swallow is set upon a background of rougher, textured wall. Furthermore, the contrast in colour, between the gray pigeons and the green swallow is indicative of the beauty and potential of the ‘new bird’ which the pigeons are trying to chase off. The group of birds is also contrasted by the singular, serving to paint the swallow as the “other,” and in doing so, comment on the concept of xenophobia. Banksy’s anthropomorphizing of the pigeons simultaneously highlights the absurdity of trying to stop immigration, as well as the inherently natural state of the act itself, as birds migrate, so do people. Banksy also utilizes the physical location of the mural for emphasis, as Clacton-on-Sea is both a port, and a popular tourist spot. The fact that the mural appeared in this location signifies a tactical appropriation of space, functioning as a platform

8 Ibid, 19. 9 Potter, Banksy, “First Time as Property Damage”. 10 Blauvelt, Strangely Familiar, 20. 11 De Certeau, The Practice of Everyday Life, 19. 12 Ibid, 19. 13 “Banksy anti-immigration birds mural in Clacton-on-Sea destroyed,” BBC News, October 1, 2014, accessed October 21, 2016. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-29446232

appeared mere

Image used with permission: banksy.co.uk

1. Bird Mural close up, Clacton-on-Sea. from which to question political policies, and community values. It undermines the intended use of the space to highlight the paradox of welcoming some individuals while denying others. The mural satirises the fact that people are welcome to visit, take pictures, and spend money, so long as they return home. Banksy’s attack on ‘otherization’ serves to create a space where the viewer is challenged to consider their own position on the issue, as well as recognize that the collective (the pigeons) are in a position of power to influence these Image used with permission: banksy.co.uk policies. Indeed, 2. Bird Mural, Clacton-on-Sea. the mural weeks before a

3 community by-election, suggesting Banksy intended the community to relate the piece to a larger context. 14 The combination of the mural’s context, form, and message effectively challenge the strategy of the space, and encourage the ‘reader’ to do the same. Banksy has created a multitude of pieces that critique the values and politics surrounding immigration, but one of his most notable works in this vein was painted in Calais, France late 2015.15 His portrait of Apple’s late CEO, Steve Jobs, was stenciled on the wall of a highway overpass in the refugee camp in Calais known as Image used with permission: Art of ‘The the State Jungle.’ The piece 3. Steve Jobs, Calais, France. was intended to disparage popular views that “migration is a drain on the country’s resources” according to Banksy himself.16 Jobs was born the son of a Syrian migrant, and due to his incredible success, Banksy intended to communicate that any refugee or migrant could potentially reach the same level if awarded the opportunity. The piece’s message is viewed somewhat critically, as Jobs was adopted and did not have much contact with his biological father. Additionally, implying that refugees are promising insofar as they can contribute to the economy and become as financially successful as Jobs is certainly problematic.17 However, the context and location of the piece certainly allows for differing interpretations. ‘The Jungle’ already exists as a re-appropriation of urban space, outside the intended state use, and the portrait of Jobs serves to further re-imagine the space as a place where even a wealthy businessman (a person of ‘value’) could find himself. Banksy’s work becomes both an equalizing and humanizing portrait to the members of the community who see it every day, as the very nature of the piece suggests that an icon like Steve Jobs is worth no more than a refugee. The stencil being on the side of a highway overpass also illustrates the transitory, or in-between, state of both the space itself, and the individuals who occupy it. In this spirit, the piece encourages the reader to make a transition themselves and ‘inhabit’ the space, or imagine themselves in the place of another. In doing so, the observer is forced to consider the strategic framework of the city that suggests individuals are only valuable

14“Banksy anti-immigration birds mural in Clacton-on-Sea destroyed,” BBC News. 15 Issie Lapowsky, “Banksy’s Steve Jobs mural misses the point about refugees,” Wired, December 11, 2015, accessed October 21, 2016. https://www.wired.com/2015/12/banksys-steve-jobs-mural-misses-the-point-about- refugees/. 16 Lapowsky, “Banksy’s Steve Jobs mural misses the point about refugees,” Wired. 17 Ibid.

4 insofar as they can produce and consume. Thus, the portrait of Jobs functions as a challenge to the reduction of individuals to their quantitative value, by re-imagining ‘The Jungle’ as a space where humans, fundamentally equal, are all deserving and capable of greatness. The tactical presentation of this piece seeks to separate humanity from the quantitative nature of the economy and capitalism, highlighting the value of human beings in and of themselves, rather than what they can consume or spend. In addition to his political commentary works, Banksy also makes use of the cityscape to critique consumer culture. One such piece appeared in 2011, located in East London, near the famous financial district of Canary Wharf.18 The mural is simple black text that reads ‘Sorry! The lifestyle you ordered is currently out of stock.’ While the message appears blunt, there are several contextual factors that enhance the observer’s experience of the piece. For example, the text is set in the side of a vacant building, in a space that is clearly reserved for a billboard or advertisement of some kind. Banksy is subverting the intended use of the space in order to comment on the culture of consumerism; the idea that a ‘lifestyle’ is something that can be produced, bought, and sold is physically impossible, yet many companies attempt to use the portrayal of an idealized lifestyle as advertisement for their products. In stating that a ‘lifestyle is out of stock,’ Banksy is encouraging his viewers to develop a sense of self that exists outside consumerism and to defy the idea that residents of a city are limited to their function as consumers. Banksy has created a space where the observer, through simple engagement with the text, can reflect on their own lifestyle, and the world that exists outside commercial

Image used with Permission: Getty Images

4. Lifestyle Stencil, London.

18 “Banksy: Sorry! The lifestyle you ordered is currently out of stock.” Art of the State, accessed October 22, 2016, http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/Banksy/banksy-sorry-out-of-stock.html.

5 consumption. The context of this piece, an advertisement re-appropriated as a tactical exchange between individuals, demonstrates the ability of urban art to change a space, or go “beyond the limits that the determinants of the object set on its utilization.”19 Ultimately, the use of space and exchange it creates undermines the typical relationship between production and consumption, as well as the reduction of individuals to a numerical value, thereby challenging the strategic framework of the metropolis. Furthermore, the subversive nature of the piece is undermining the concept of advertising for the purpose of selling, as this form of consumption demands a sense of creativity on the part of the reader, as de Certeau argued. Instead, it serves as a means of social commentary and reflection. Yet another Banksy work that provides a satirical view of consumerism is his ‘IKEA’ mural. Located on a wall in Croydon, South London, it was stenciled in 2009, around the corner from an IKEA location.20 The mural depicts a stereotypical punk-looking character attempting to put together a graffiti slogan from a box labelled ‘IEAK’. The image is intended to be comical, as the chain store is famous for its ‘assembly’ pieces and hard-to-follow instructions. The slogan on the wall appears disjointed, as a few words such as ‘System,’ ‘Money,’ and ‘Police’ can be seen, while a few unused letters are visible hanging out of the box. The consumerist satire in this piece is made ironic by the art itself, as the punk (presumably meant to be associated with producing art) has instead ‘sold out’ and bought the slogan from a chain store, rather than produce an original work. This is perhaps an expression of anxiety on the part of Banksy, as street art (particularly his) becomes increasingly popular, and risks being commodified. According to Patrick Potter, “taking radical gestures and absorbing them into a narrative that supports capitalism is a process which provokes a kind of defeatist self-awareness in young artists who may genuinely wish to strike out against the machine”21. In presenting this mural as a form of self-reflection, Banksy not only creates a space that critiques IKEA and the Image used with permission: consumer (as willing to buy anything), but Getty Images also street art and its producers. In a space dominated by a production giant, the 5. IKEA Punk, Croydon.

19 Michel de Certeau, “Walking in the City,” in The Practice of Everyday Life (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984), 98. 20 “Banksy – IKEA graffiti – Large Graffiti Slogan, Croydon., South London,” Art of the State, accessed October 22, 2016, http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/banksy/Banksy-ikea-punk-graffiti-croydon.html. 21 Potter, Banksy, “Cash for Credibility”.

‘IKEA Punk’ creates a pocket space wherein individuals can reflect on their own role in the chain of production and consumerism. This re-imagined space allows for the creativity of the individual reading the piece to engage in ‘production’ and resist the issue that the piece is addressing. Furthermore, it generates a platform from which the individual can gaze critically at the strategic framework that seems intent on absorbing and appropriating forms of expression (like urban art) typically associated with operating outside the control of the state. Ultimately, the mural engages in a dialogue that questions the relationship of the producer and consumer, and projects the impression that the individual members of society which are constantly gazed at and evaluated by powerful companies are also gazing critically in return. Urban art exists fundamentally as a tactical expression on the part of individuals to critically engage with, and question the strategic framework of the city. In the words of de Certeau: “increasingly constrained, yet less and less concerned with these vast frameworks, the individual detaches himself from them without being able to escape them and can henceforth only try to outwit them, to pull tricks on them…”22 Urban art can therefore serve to function as a vehicle for individuals to resist this detachment and ‘outwit’ the narrative of the metropolis by disrupting the power relations between the institution and the individual, the producer and consumer. By creating a piece of art, or text, that invites engagement on the part of the reader, the urban artist is able to re-appropriate urban areas (outside the intended use) in order to create an alternate, subversive space independent of the power structures of the metropolis. It empowers the individual, both the creator and the interpreter, and signifies “victories of the ‘weak’ over the ‘strong’ (whether the strength be that of powerful people or the violence of things or of an imposed order, etc.)”23 In doing so, the individual can resist being absorbed into the strategy of the city, and reduced to a quantitative value. This re-negotiation of power dynamics serves to give the viewer a sense of control over their identity within the city and society as a whole. As Simmel states, “the deepest problems of modern life flow from the attempt of the individual to maintain the independence and individuality of his existence against the sovereign powers of society.”24 Banksy’s “IKEA Punk” and “Lifestyle Out of Stock” pieces highlight the problematic trend in urban areas of viewing individuals as numbers, and as consumers, which the very nature of urban art defies. The role of the reader, as de Certeau points out, transforms the ‘passive consumer,’ who instead becomes the creator of the world in which their interpretation of the piece exists. The power of the individual is also highlighted in Banksy’s political works, as in his portrait of Steve Jobs, where the inherent value of individuality is stressed, as well as the equality of humanity. The bird mural also seeks to convey a message of equalization, while also demonstrating the power of individuals in the community to determine the policies that represent them. Ultimately, urban art thrives on generating dialogue, insofar as it demands engagement from a viewership, and the narrow survey of work examined in this paper takes into account the intent of the artist, as well as a presumed engagement on the part of the audience. However, the inherently subversive nature of urban art makes it the ideal subject of ‘tactical’ study, and the political dimension of works outside this scope demands further exploration. The ability of urban writers to re-purpose conventional space, call attention to the importance of individuality, and create a platform for

22 De Certeau, The Practice of Everyday Life, 21-22. 23 Ibid., 18. 24 Simmel, “The Metropolis and Mental Life,” 11.

7 communities to negotiate issues with greater structures of power ultimately “allows a certain play within a system of defined spaces… it makes places habitable.”25

25 De Certeau, “Walking in the City,” 106.

Bibliography

Art of the State. “Banksy: Sorry! The lifestyle you ordered is currently out of stock.” Accessed October 22, 2016, http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/Banksy/banksy-sorry-out-of-stock.htm Art of the State. “Banksy – IKEA graffiti – Large Graffiti Slogan, Croydon., South London.” Accessed October 22, 2016, http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/banksy/Banksy-ikea-punk- graffiti-croydon.htm “Banksy Anti-Immigration Birds Mural in Clacton-on-Sea destroyed.” BBC News, October 1, 2014. Accessed October 21, 2016. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex- 29446232 Blauvelt, Andrew. Strangely Familiar: Design and Everyday Life. Minneapolis: Walker Art Center, 2003. De Certeau, Michel. The Practice of Everyday Life. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984. De Certeau, Michel. “Walking in the City.” In The Practice of Everyday Life. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984. Lapowsky, Issie. “Banksy’s Steve Jobs mural misses the point about refugees.” Wired, December 11, 2015. Accessed October 21, 2016. https://www.wired.com/2015/12/banksys-steve-jobs-mural-misses-the-point-about- refugees/ Pan, Lu. Aestheticizing Public Space: Street Visual Politics in East Asian Cities. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2015. Potter, Patrick. Banksy: You Are an Acceptable Level of Threat, And if You Were Not You Would Know About it. Great Britain: Carpet Bombing Culture, 2014. Simmel, Georg. “The Metropolis and Mental Life.” In Metropolis: Center and Symbol of Our Times, 1995. PDF. http://www.esperdy.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Simmel_21.pdf

PHOTO CREDITS 1. Bird Mural close up, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Banksy. Bird Mural. 2014. Photograph. London. Posted by BBC News, http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-29446232. Accessed October 21, 2016. 2. Bird Mural, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Banksy. Bird Mural. 2014. Photograph. Essex. Posted by BBC News, http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-29446232. Accessed October 21, 2016.

3. Steve Jobs, Calais, France.

Banksy. The son of a migrant from Syria. Photograph. France. Posted by CNN, http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/11/europe/banksy-steve-jobs-graffiti/. Accessed October 22, 2016. 4. Lifestyle Stencil, London. Dyson, Jim. New Banksy Artwork Appears in London. Photograph. Getty Images, http://www.gettyimages.ca/license/136024453. Accessed October 22, 2016. 5. IKEA Punk, Croydon. Art of the State. Banksy – IKEA graffiti – Large Graffiti Slogan, Croydon., South London. Photograph. Art of the State, http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/banksy/Banksy-ikea-punk- graffiti-croydon.htm. Accessed October 22, 2016.