Banksy is like a modern-day King Midas, everything he touches turns into gold. This time around it was Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn that was blessed by Banksy’s magic. The artist reimagined an architectural detail from an existing building into a bridge where two Japanese-attired women are walking on. To make these drawing even more perfect a little detail was added on the left side of the Japanese bridge: a Bonsai tree.
The perfectionism with which the Kimono (Japanese dress), the Obi (wide sash in the back of the dress), and the Wagasa (traditional Japanese umbrella) were drawn clearly reminds the work of Kara Walker, an African American contemporary painter who talks about race, gender, sexuality, violence and identity in her illustrations of black cut-paper silhouettes. Karen Walker lives in NYC…Is this a fortunate coincidence or a way Banksy found to show that he did his homework and, indeed, he has a New York accent?!
Banksy is nothing but an artist of the ordinary people. His work not only engages the lucky eyes that come across his pieces of art but also plays with the hearts of the public in very wise, but always simple, way. Banksy created a legendary world where he has the ability to impress people with his very singular style. The proof of this, once more he challenges the status quo by finding an uncommon wall in Bedford-Stuyvesant and using it to inspire his artwork instead of looking for a place to materialize a preconceived idea. And this all about what defines Banksy: In reality, even those little things that go often unnoticed can, in fact, become surprisingly well-known.
by Daniela Ferraz
finding bksy 