Banksy is an anonymous graffiti artist whose work appears all across the world. Some call him a political activist standing against hypocrisy and elitism, others consider him a rebellious degenerate. His artwork has had a big influence on the way people think and it continues to influence people. As it is with most art his pieces are open to a variety of interpretations and the meaning of his works is truly relative to the viewer. I view Banksy as a revolutionary, he stands up for the people without a voice. Some argue that his artwork is nonsensical profanity, but I believe that he has had a big impact and it sends a deep philosophical message. By analyzing two of Banksy's pieces 'Follow your Dream' and 'Rage the Flower Thrower' I will be defending the argument that Banksy is a valid artist and not just a rebellious graffitist. Through his artwork he advocates for peace and brings to fruition the injustices and irony of modern day society.

The first piece if I will be analyzing and defending appeared in May of 2010. It is called 'Follow Your Dream Cancelled', it appears in the Chinatown district of Boston. It depicts a working class painter man standing next to the words FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS painted in black. Stamped across are the words CANCELLED in an enforcing font. The man is dressed in average clothes normally seen on someone apart of the lower class. By taking a deeper look you can see that despair and disappointment has affected him, you can see this by the hollow gaunt look in his face. I think it is ironic that this appeared in Boston because that was really the birthplace of the United States and the fight for independence. Banksy is suggesting that due to changing times and circumstances the American dream is no longer as obtainable as it once was, the ideals our country were built on are gone. Freedom allows people to go after whatever they want, it is the American way. Banksy is insinuating that the American Dream is dead and the restrictions that society has set prevent people from really fulfilling their dreams. Limits have been placed by society and the freedom we have is only an illusion. Those who are viewed as different are ridiculed into assimilation. I think that the man in this piece has come to the realization that the American Dream is nothing but a false illusion put on people to encourage them to be obedient. If you are not a part of the majority than you are considered an outsider and this forces people to act and do things the way other people want them to act instead of being themselves. Fear of rejection prevents people from realizing their true potential and following their dreams. Society tells people how to act and how to behave, it has no tolerance for people that are different. It is those abstract thinkers, like Banksy, that get us to realize the truth about the world. Negative connotations are often associated with graffiti but I believe that this work by Banksy sends a good message and it should be regarded as real art. It is not vandalism but a contribution to art and philosophy. 

The next work by Banksy is called Rage the Flower Thrower, it appeared in Jerusalem in 2003. It features the silhouette of a rioter wearing a bandana around his face and a backwards hat. He is equipped with flowers, it appears that he is in the midst of throwing them similar to a grenade. The location of Banksy's works are always calculated and put there for a reason. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and one of the oldest cities on Earth. It has seen plenty of wars throughout its history and fighting continues today between the Palestinians and the Israelites. Hostility between these two groups has persisted since the conclusion of World War 2. When looking at this piece your eyes are immediately drawn to the flowers that are in place to symbolize a yearning for tolerance and mutual respect. Banksy is trying to send the message that peace can only be obtained through love and understanding, not violence and destruction. This is one of Banksy's most popular works and rightfully so. Flower Thrower sends an important message, peace and love is a recurring theme of Banksy's. His artwork always contains some sort of satirical wisdom. The flowers add the sense of satire because his body is violently contorting as if he was to through a something that would lead to destruction or harm but he does not have the intention of hurting anyone. This man clearly wants an end to the hostility of all people, he has come to the revelation that fighting for peace through violence is futile and the true path to peace is through passive means. Violence does not resolve conflicts--it escalates them. Banksy is sending a message to the world through this piece ultimately saying that war will not solve anything and we all need to accept others and their beliefs. 'Rage the Flower thrower' does a good job of sufficiently supporting my argument that says Banksy is a legitimate political and social activist who should be taken seriously by the art community.

A visual text is supposed to convey a deeper meaning without using words. By just looking at that particular image it can tell you a whole story. Visual Text allows the observer to bring their own experiences, knowledge, and beliefs together to make a conclusion, I feel that people approach visual text with a more open mind. When people read written text they are confined to the author's words and it kind of gives a narrow perspective of the topic presented. Banksy is a legitimate artist and his works are more than just vandalism. He speaks to the masses through his art and they get things across that words never could. That is what a good visual text should do, convey a message through an image without words. Banksy is a master at invoking thoughts into people through images. By defending the validity of Banksy's rightful position as a revolutionary and activist through his art you can see that the contradictive nature of society has corrupted and brainwashed the masses. Banksy's art is meant to reveal to the world how morally lost and greedy society has become.   

