Post #381761 by bigbrotiki on Wed, May 21, 2008 11:33 PM

Blindy, you MUST be aware of Banksy, is that where your name came from?
If you are, allow me to enlighten the TCers who are not with some Banksy info: A British grafitti artist, he has been not only very prolific, but very original and funny in his action art, and his work is now very collectible:

Banksy, Britain's now-legendary "guerrilla" street artist, has painted the walls, streets, and bridges of towns and cities throughout the world. Not only did he smuggle his pieces into four of New York City's major art museums, he's also "hung" his work at London's Tate Gallery and adorned Israel's West Bank barrier with satirical images. Banksy's identity remains unknown, but his work is unmistakable—with prints selling for as much as $45,000.

In addition to his artwork, Banksy has claimed responsibility for a number of high profile art pieces, including the following:

At Sothebys, he arrived in a penguin suit and painted "We're getting rich off Banksy". The piece sold later that day for £16,999.[citation needed]

At London Zoo, he climbed into the penguin enclosure and painted "We're bored of fish" in seven foot high letters.[citation needed]

At Bristol Zoo, he left the message 'I want out. This place is too cold. Keeper smells. Boring, boring, boring.' in the elephant enclosure.[citation needed]

In March 2005, he placed subverted artworks in the Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.[26]

He put up a subverted painting in London's Tate Britain gallery.

Here is one of his paintings he put up:

They hang up for days, sometimes even weeks before they get noticed. He explains his ability to do this by "Museums mostly watch out that art is not taken out of their building, but not for it being brought in".

In May 2005 Banksy's version of a primitive cave painting depicting a human figure hunting wildlife whilst pushing a shopping trolley was hung in gallery 49 of the British Museum, London. Upon discovery, they added it to their permanent collection.[27]

In September 2006, Banksy dressed an inflatable doll in the manner of a Guantanamo Bay detainment camp prisoner (orange jumpsuit, black hood, and handcuffs) and then placed the figure within the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California.[35][36]

These are just a few of his "placing art in public spaces" actions. He also hung one of his pieces in the Louvre. In his very funny art book "Wall and Piece" he mentions an anecdote from his early days where his sister mockingly commented "It's not like your stuff is ever going to hang in the Louvre!" The back cover of the book has a quote from the London Police Chief' office that reads: "There is no way we will give you a quote from us to print at the back of your book!"

His website: http://www.banksy.co.uk/menu.html

So will Blindy become the Banksy of Tiky?
I like the fact that your Tikis are mute witnesses to the environments you put them in, I makes the whole thing more mysterious. But just in case you are looking for a motto, I want to suggest this quote from an artist friend of mine, which years ago I printed on some stickers underneath Shecky, the early TC mascot Tiki: LESS VIRTUAL REALITY, MORE RITUAL VIRILITY!
Never use the term Tiki, that would be too demystifying.