London, street art, Bristol, Banksy, Exhibition, tour, walk, graffiti

Flashback – Banksy v. Bristol Museum and Art Gallery 2009

It was 5 years ago that Banksy took over Bristol Museum and Art Gallery for what was his biggest ever proper exhibition. With pre publicity consisting of an undignified scamble by TV stations to a hastily convened press conference the night before, this show took us first by surprise then by storm with attendance records smashed.

London, street art, Bristol, Banksy, Exhibition, tour, walk, graffiti

Banksy v. Bristol commoners

Banksy’s team worked over a three day period behind closed doors to install 100 pieces of Banksy paintings and sculpture, including a mock up of his studio.

London, street art, Bristol, Banksy, Exhibition, tour, walk, graffiti

Banksy Studio mock up (detail)

Not only was it the largest Banksy inside exhibition ever, it was also his most recent in the UK as we can safely exclude the Marks and Stencils Christmas 2010 group show in Soho, London. We are overdue another Banksy epic on these shores (we felt that in May 2009 too)!

London, street art, Bristol, Banksy, Exhibition, tour, walk, graffiti

Where Banksy drew the line

Banksy’s real coup was showing how even stuffy institutions could be transformed into a wildly popular public exhibition with a dash of humour and populism, the show was the biggest tourist attraction in the West Country for years and indeed since.

London, street art, Bristol, Banksy, Exhibition, tour, walk, graffiti

Enter via the 4 hour queue

Graffoto provided the best coverage at the time with both a review by NoLionsInEngland (moi) and an obsessive’s guide and record of the exhibits by Shellshock, my friend, co-blogger and author of the two famous Banksy Locations and Tours books.

London, street art, Bristol, Banksy, Exhibition, tour, walk, graffiti

Banksy Fat Tourist Rickshaw

LINKS:

Banksy v. Bristol Art Museum and Gallery Review

Banksy v. Bristol Art Museum and Gallery guide to exhbition

all photos: NoLionsinEngland