Video: Inside Banksy's new Bristol exhibition
From the moment you enter the lobby of Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery, you know that Banksy has arrived.
The entrance hall has been taken over by the “portaloo” toilets, stacked like Stonehenge, which became iconic symbols of the Glastonbury festival a couple of years ago.
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Inside Banksy's Bristol show
But as you enter further into the building you realise that the exhibition, entitled Banksy Versus Bristol Museum, has taken over the entire building.
With 100 works - 78 of which have never before been seen in the UK - this is Banksy’s biggest ever British exhibition.
The anonymous Bristol-born artist’s new works blend cleverly into the existing collection - a Guantanamo escapee can be seen clinging on to the biplane that has flown over the main hall of the museum for years.
Upstairs the galleries have become an interesting game - spot the Banksy, as he has hidden away new works amongst the old.
Often they appear to fit in well with the room - among the religious iconography, for example, he has placed an oil of the Madonna and Child, which may seem conventional at first glance, until you notice that the Holy Mother is listening to her iPod.
The theme for blending the traditional with the Banksy begins in the main hall, where classical statues line the walls - familiar images that have been subverted by the artist.
Michelangelo’s David is now wearing a suicide bomber’s jacket, and the Venus di Milo now appears as an amputee beggar.
Rebecca Burton, deputy head of collections and archives for the museum, said: “The way he has blended his work into our collection is incredibly exciting.”
The show runs at Bristol’s City Museum and Art Gallery until August 31, 10am to 5pm daily. Admission is free.











10 Comments
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by dorr, portsmouth,bristol
Monday, September 07 2009, 6:40PM
“i'm banksy and so is my wife !!!!”
by Gutted, High Wycombe
Sunday, August 16 2009, 7:00PM
“I would have loved to see the exhibition, however was turned away at 12:00 on Saturday saying there was a 5 hour queue which had now closed. What a waste of a 2 hour drive. There should reall be some kind of ticketing to avoid so many peoples' wasted trips.”
by paul, bristol
Wednesday, July 29 2009, 11:09PM
“Im fed up with banksy it does my head in. No aston court as well because of greed why did Bristol try for capital of culture. What culture? slavery and tobacco. Even brunel wasnt born here he was from Portsmouth this city was just about getting ok in the 90s but now its a souless dump”
by "Banksy's" cellmate, On day release
Sunday, June 14 2009, 7:41PM
“Contrary to what most people think - "Banksy" ain't no middle-class dilettante - he's a proper geezer/a top boy/one of the chaps.
The real reason he got his nickname come about because his first name's Robin. Strange you might think?
But not so odd when you know that when I first met him, he was serving a 15-stretch for some work he'd been doing at TSBs, NatWests, and other financial establishments dotted across our good country. So...as yer might imagine, it di'nt take too long before the lad were known as Robin Banks...then Banksy,,,and the rest is history,
Anyway, good luck to yer Banksy-lad, and make sure they don't get no pictures of yer. I'd hate to see yer back sculpting mailbags,”
by I am banksy, Bristle
Sunday, June 14 2009, 6:54PM
“That is all.”