Banksy, widely recognized as a street artist, combines dark humor with graffiti using his unique stencil technique. His art, encompassing political and social commentary, can be found on streets, walls, and bridges in cities worldwide. Banksy’s artistic journey began within Bristol’s underground scene, characterized by collaborations between artists and musicians. One artist remarks that Banksy was born in Bristol, England in 1974.
Born to a photocopier technician, he initially trained as a butcher but later delved into graffiti during the thriving period of aerosol art in Bristol in the late 1980s. It has been observed that his style resembles that of Blek le Rat, who began using stencils in Paris in 1981, as well as Jef Aerosol, who created his first street stencil in Tours, France in 1982. Additionally, he drew inspiration from the anarcho-punk band Crass, known for their graffiti stencil campaign on the London Tube System during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In his work, both Los Angeles and Mona Lisa, Peter Callesen aimed to defy Modernity and instead instill a fresh sentiment that endorsed social Pluralism and the unique perspective or formation of reality by individuals. This Danish artist is renowned for his astounding papercut artwork, meticulously crafted using A4 paper in both small-scale and large-scale installations. Each masterpiece is meticulously formed from just a single sheet of paper, depicting mesmerizing three-dimensional floral arrangements cascading from a bouquet or a graceful hummingbird soaring off the page.
He chooses to use A4 paper as he believes it is the most widely used medium for conveying information nowadays, but we often overlook its physicality. The fragility and delicacy of the paper emphasize a sense of disaster. What is thrilling is the series of designs created by Callesen through the cutout negative space. Each design is flawless, casting shadows that reveal incredible shapes originating from the A4 page. Callesen exhibits his mastery of paper cutting, turning the page into an artistic masterpiece.
