Banksy's works in London, here's where to find them and not only in the English city but also in other cities around the world. An itinerary that starts from art and museums with free admission in the city of London and arrives at street art on the streets of London and beyond, by Banksy.
London is one of more multi-ethnic cities that I have ever visited. London is a city of great contrasts, where traditions are compared with the most authentic innovations. London is also a place where art proliferates, like many other European capitals, of course, but in London even more. Have you ever noticed? London is always one step ahead of everything else.
Not only the museums that we all know, but also art in the open, in London you can breathe air of evolution (or revolution?) in every corner of the city. Between London museums free which I prefer most, I recommend:
Tate Modern: contemporary art on the five floors of the building. The top floor has a coffee shop with stunning views over the city and the unique Millennium Bridge. The Tate Modern is always free and is open from Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 00pm and Friday and Saturday from 18am to 00pm.
British MuseumAlso free, the British Museum explores culture from around the world. A place to visit to get an overview of our history, from Africa to Europe, to the Americas and Asia. The museum is really big, you can also visit it on several occasions. Open every day from 10.00 to 17.30 and on Fridays until 20.30.
National Gallery: free admission with the exception of some temporary exhibitions which, however, are always located in a section of the building and are well marked. The National Gallery is a world in which to find works by Botticelli, Titian, Raphael, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Cezanne, Van Gogh and many more. The best time to visit is on Fridays after 18pm.
Returning to the topic of the post, then i Banksy's masterpieces in London, there are certainly some specific works that are impossible to miss during a first (but also second) visit to the English city. First of all, when we talk about Banksy, who are we talking about? Good question, nobody really knows. Banksy is an English artist and writer whose identity (as in the case of many writers) is still unknown. His works are famous all over the world, and it is impossible not to have seen at least one in some city of the world, or at least not to have seen one on television or in some book.
Below I will limit myself to mentioning the 3 works of his career that I consider most important. For a complete insight into the artist, I leave you this link instead to a post in the Expedia Explore editorial that lists his 15 best London graffiti. Banksy has always been considered one of the most important exponents of street art.
Sweep it Under the Carpet: in Hoxton there is one of the most interesting works of Banksy, the maid who hides the dirt under the carpet. The work was carried out in 2006 and would refer to the low commitment of the British government in the fight against AIDS.
I don't believe in global warming: always in London and precisely in Camden Town. The red color written on the waterline along the Regent's Canal is an artist's protest against the failure of the 2009 Copenhagen climate conference.
Balloon girl: it's my favorite Banksy mural. The girl with the balloon was made in 2002. Not far away an inscription reads There is always hope. In March 2012, on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Syrian civil war and in the wake of the #WithSyria campaign in support of the victims of the conflict, the artist published a modified image of the famous "Balloon Girl" on his website, in order to to make the girl look like a little refugee.
Le Banksy's works are not found only in London, many are scattered around the world, recently in Venice, but also in Jerusalem, Brighton, Bethlehem and Bristol. If you love museum art, the one that can be admired sitting with an audio guide in hand, I am sure that you will also find super interesting street art that interprets our time very well and above all an artist like Banksy who can better than anyone else to interpret the needs and fears of the generation (whatever his own).
One of the most beautiful Banksy works for me, which is located outside London and also outside Europe, is the one located in Bethlehem. In particular, in addition to the beautiful mural the dove and the angel, there is also the Palestinian throwing flowers. In my opinion, this work tells everything and has nothing to add. My dream is to take a tour to Bethlehem to see not only one but all of the works of this undisputed street art artist.
