Banksy: Street Art in San Juan and Venice
The International Artist of Mystery, the works of Mr. Banksy have inspired similar works to the artist in public sections of two popular vacation spots: Venice, Italy and San Juan, Puerto Rico. A man who conceals his identity from the public partly out of the criminal nature of his graffiti art and partly out of fun, the Banksy-esque works produced for these very different capitals capture the very essence of the city in jarring, whimsical sprays of paint.
A tiny mouse can be seen painted on the marble baseboard of one of the Grand Canal’s old Palazzoes. Small, seemingly inconsequential, and almost impossible to find, this rearing mouse characterizes the troubling nature of Venice now and of yore. The carrier of plague that wiped a significant amount of Venice’s population in 1630, the rodent represents a very real fear these creatures once held to the people of the city. Brought over by way of merchant ships, rats with foreign disease ravaged the Serene Republic and subsequently contributed to Venice’s diminished authority over the Mediterranean. While the plagues has irrevocably been put to rest, in modern times, this Banksy-esque rat reminds visitors of the bi-annual Venice Biennial, one of the largest and oldest art fairs in the world. Guest should pick a Venice hotel soon before the Italia:150 exhibition closes.
Painted on the side of the Nuyorican Cafe in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a “Banksy” mural of shocking content greats visitors to the island. A girl armed with a machine gun is blasting red, Valentine like hearts across a pink back drop. Though this work hasn’t been dated or signed, the two dimensional, simplistic rendering akin to the Venetian mouse is undoubtedly Banksy in style. In referencing the island’s difficult history, this image captures the passion of life in Puerto Rico. Historically troubling, the passion of the island residents is best characterized at the islands traditional dance clubs and wildly popular art exhibitions. Choose one of the hotels in Puerto Rico and come see for yourself.
A force without a face, the name Banksy, as evinced by these two examples, has become a euphemism for a very calculated – if illegal – art style.
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