Keep an eye on your walls, New York. The world’s most notorious graffiti artist is in town.
Banksy, the shadowy British street artist whose true identity remains a mystery, recently announced on his web site (banksy.co.uk) that he was about to launch a new show entitled “Better Out Than In” on the streets of Gotham.
The first piece appeared yesterday at 11 Allen Street. It a young boy standing on another boy’s back, reaching for a sign reading, “Graffiti is a crime.” The art has since been painted over.
A second work just appeared on West 25th Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. It’s a stencil that reads, “This is my New York accent,” written in showy script in the style of local taggers, followed by a line of neat type that reads, “normally I write like this.”
The artist also set up a satirical “tour” to go along with each piece. The curious can dial 1-800-656-4271, and hear a scholarly voice drone on about the supposed meaning of each work.
No word on how long the show will last.