Books / banksy
How Banksy saved art history
A new book considers how Bristol-born artist Banksy revitalises classical art through his reworkings of well-known works.
Author, BBC culture columnist, art historian and critic Kelly Grovier traverses through Banksy’s back catalogue and inspects the artist’s vast references and the revival of classical art history in How Banksy Saved Art History.
The book considers how Bristol-born artist Banksy revitalises classical art through his reworkings – photo: © Thames & Hudson
The book’s description promises that “in this fully illustrated and entertaining exploration, bestselling author Kelly Grovier traces art history through Banksy’s lens, presenting many of his most recognizable works: from his droll lampooning of the Lascaux cave paintings to his reinvention of Monet’s enchanting water-lily pond”.
is needed now More than ever
It adds: “Banksy’s iconoclastic works force us to rethink our affection for, and appreciation of, great works of art that define cultural history.”
In a recent BBC Culture article, Grovier gave a snippet of the book and determined that Banksy’s understanding of art history is what refreshes great classical works into modern masterpieces.
He wrote: “Far from defacing or demeaning the artists into whose works he regularly intrudes, from Leonardo to Basquiat, Banksy invites us to look again at what makes them great.”
Grovier will be talking about the book at an event arranged by Bookhaus which takes place on Wednesday at Centrespace Gallery.
For tickets and more information, visit www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/whats-on/centrespace-gallery/wed-18-sep-how-banksy-saved-art-history
Main photo: Ed Whyman
Read next:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
