“The Art of Banksy: Without Limits,” a museum-style exhibition dedicated to the anonymous British street artist, will open Jan. 30 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
The international touring exhibition features 200 pieces of Banksy artwork. Some items in the exhibit are certified originals lent by private collectors. The rest are replicas, presented in comprehensive, educational and artistic ways to tell the story of the mysterious artist, who has been surprising the public with his stencil art on walls and public structures for more than 30 years.
Tickets for the San Diego run on “The Art of Banksy: Without Limits” go on sale at 9 a.m. Thursday.
The exhibition, which debuted in Istanbul in 2016, is not an official Banksy exhibition, but a tribute to the artist’s work. Among the featured items are prints, photographs, lithographs, sculptures, murals and video-mapping installations. The Del Mar exhibition will also feature an infinity room, a hologram installation and a room dedicated to Ukraine, showcasing Banksy’s interventions in areas affected by the Russia-launched war.
“The Art of Banksy: Without Limits,” featuring originals and reproductions of the anonymous street artist’s work, will open Jan. 30 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. (The Art of Banksy)
“‘The Art of Banksy Without Limits’ is not merely an exhibition but a showcase with a philosophy, as Banksy seeks to provoke, shock, and even unsettle society,” said Sorina Burlacu, the exhibition’s producer, in a statement. “He achieves this with humor and poetry. Banksy possesses the unique ability to express truths that many hesitate to voice. In today’s world, sincerity, empathy, and compassion are more crucial than ever. Banksy’s art unites people and ideas, conveying values that can transform the world for the better.”
Banksy’s identity has been shrouded in mystery since his graffiti art first began popping up on public buildings and structures in the U.K. in the 1990s. He worked overnight, using hand-cut cardboard stencils and cans of spray paint to quickly create the artwork and escape without notice. In the decades since, his work has expanded to include sculpture, photography, film, multimedia art and exhibitions.
Many of his street works have been whimsical in nature, but a large percentage are satirical protest art against war, violence, fascism, poverty, judicial overreach, corporate greed, racism and more. He has created full-scale installations, like “Walled Off,” a now-shuttered hotel in Bethlehem, Israel, with windows overlooking the occupied territories, and “Dismaland,” a dystopian theme park in England. Banksy also directed his Oscar-nominated autobiographical 2010 documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” Banksy has an official website and Instagram page to share his work.
British journalists have spent decades trying to catch Banksy in action and reveal his identity. Some sleuths say Banksy is Robin Gunnningham, a 40something native of Bristol, England, though Gunningham has publicly denied the claim. Others believe Banksy is the name for a group of artists who work as a collective.
“The Art of Banksy: Without Limits” will open Jan. 30 for an unspecified run at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Activity Center, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. Tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. Thursday, priced at $28 to $34. Exhibition hours will be noon to 8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Tickets available at artofbanksyus.com/san-diego.