Banksy is a pseudonymous English graffiti artist, political activist, film director and painter. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humor with graffiti executed in a distinctive stenciling technique. His works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls and bridges of cities throughout the world. Banksy’s work grew out of the Bristol underground scene. Observers have noted that his style is similar to Blek le Rat, who began to work with stencils in 1981 in Paris. Banksy’s first film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, billed as “the world’s first street art disaster movie,” made its debut at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary. In August 2015, Banksy opened Dismaland, a theme park-styled art installation in the UK that is scheduled to run until September 27, 2015.
