They don’t come bigger than Bansky. The infamous Bristolian’s work is to go on display at Rome’s Palazzo Cipolla museum, from 24 May – 4 September 2016.
Featuring original paintings, prints, sculptures, rare objects from international private collections and never-before-seen pieces, War, Capitalism & Liberty will be the biggest and most ambitious Banksy exhibition yet.
With no authorisation from artist himself, the show’s curators were free to explore Banksy’s cultural impact however they chose. Call it an unofficial retrospective, if you like.
War, Capitalism & Liberty examines how social and political events are viewed through Banksy’s irreverent wit and artistic skill – from his black and white stencilled sandwich board-wearing monkeys declaring ‘Laugh now but one day we’ll be in charge’ to the unsettling image of ‘Kids on Guns’. “The work critically examines contemporary issues of war, consumerism and politics,” explains co-curator Acoris Andipa.
Love him or loathe him, Banksy is one of the defining artists of our time. Commenting on the concepts that underpins the show, co-curator Stefano Antonelli says: “On the threshold of a world living in deep transformations, this exhibition analyses the progress of iconography and fundamental expressions of our civilisation, through the work of the most controversial and popular contemporary artist and activist: an anonymous British artist who calls himself Banksy.”
“Since the 1990s, the artist known as Banksy has used public space to express and exhibit his work, freeing the potential of graffiti and laying down a new blueprint for street art,” he continues. “Advances in internet technologies and image-sharing platforms have consecrated him as an idol for a new generation which has given him a worldwide fame. In the history of Western art, no other artist has managed to bring themes of this magnitude to the attention of a global audience.”
War, Capitalism and Liberty is at Rome’s Palazzo Cipolla museum, from 24 May – 4 September 2016.
Latest on Huck
From his skating past to sculpting present, Arran Gregory revels in the organic
Sensing Earth Space — Having risen to prominence as an affiliate of Wayward Gallery and Slam City Skates, the shredder turned artist creates unique, temporal pieces out of earthly materials. Dorrell Merritt caught up with him to find out more about his creative process.
Written by: Dorrell Merritt
In Bristol, pub singers are keeping an age-old tradition alive
Ballads, backing tracks, beers — Bar closures, karaoke and jukeboxes have eroded a form of live music that was once an evening staple, but on the fringes of the southwest’s biggest city, a committed circuit remains.
Written by: Fred Dodgson
This new photobook celebrates the long history of queer photography
Calling the Shots — Curated by Zorian Clayton, it features the work of several groundbreaking artists including Robert Mapplethorpe, Sunil Gupta, Zanele Muholi and more.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Krept & Konan: “Being tough is indoctrinated into us”
Daddy Issues — In the latest from our interview column exploring fatherhood and masculinity, UK rap’s most successful double act reflect on loss, being vulnerable in their music, and how having a daughter has got Krept doing things he’d never have imagined.
Written by: Robert Kazandjian
Vibrant polaroids of New York’s ’80s party scene
Camera Girl — After stumbling across a newspaper advert in 1980, Sharon Smith became one of the city’s most prolific nightlife photographers. Her new book revisits the array of stars and characters who frequented its most legendary clubs.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Bad Bunny: “People don’t know basic things about our country”
Reggaeton & Resistance — Topping the charts to kick off 2025, the Latin superstar is using his platform and music to spotlight the Puerto Rican cause on the global stage.
Written by: Catherine Jones