If you feel dirty, insignificant or unloved, then rats are a good role model. They exist without permission, they have no respect for the hierarchy of society, and they have sex 50 times a day.
BanksyRead
When you go to an art gallery you are simply a tourist looking at the trophy cabinet of a few millionaires.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques the exclusivity of art collections and the perception of art as a status symbol.
Banksy's quote highlights the disparity between the elite collectors of art and the average viewer. It suggests that art galleries often serve as showcases for the wealth of a few, rather than accessible spaces for all to appreciate creativity, thus critiquing how art is commodified and perceived in society.
Themes
ArtGalleryWealthCritiqueSociety
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote during a discussion about the accessibility of art to the general public.
More from Banksy
All quotes βT.V. has made going to the theatre seem pointless, photography has pretty much killed painting but graffiti has remained gloriously unspoilt by progress.
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Graffiti ultimately wins out over proper art because it becomes part of your city, it' s a tool; "I'll meet you in that pub, you know, the one opposite that wall with a picture of a monkey holding a chainsaw". I mean, how much more useful can a painting be than that?
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Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a f**king sharp knife to it.
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Gaza is often described as 'the world's largest open air prison' because no-one is allowed to enter or leave. But that seems a bit unfair to prisons - they donβt have their electricity and drinking water cut off randomly almost every day.
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