Name: Banksquiat (grey)
Brand: Banksy
Rating: 4.9 (172 reviews)

Meaning & Analysis

'A print made in homage to New York post-graffiti pioneer Jean-Michel Basquiat. In which Banksy is cleverly questioning the relentless commodification of Basquiat in recent times - by crassly adding to the relentless commodification of Basquiat in recent times. Two different papers - black and grey board.' – GrossDomesticProduct.

read more about Banksquiat

A witty homage to Basquiat, this signed screen print was produced in 2019 in an edition of 300. Mounted onto grey backing board, this work was released alongside Banksquiat (black) which is the same screen printed image but on black backing.

Banksquiat is a striking print depicting a Ferris wheel in which all the carriages have been replaced by Basquiat’s famous crown motif. By referencing Basquiat so openly, Banksy seems to be aligning himself with the tradition of street art as high art, which arguably has its origins in the work of Basquiat whose career was launched by his many interventions in the urban environment, as part of a graffiti duo he founded with Al Diaz on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the late 70s. Similar to Banksy’s modus operandi, the pair would tag the streets of New York with satirical and often overtly critical messages, all accompanied with the tag SAMO – standing for ‘same old shit’ – accompanied by an ironic copyright symbol.