7/14/08

Banksy & the British complex


Ok, so Banksy has been outed by Mail on Sunday. Woo-hoo! Big Deal! It has become clear that his real name is Robert Gunningham and he has (shock) a middle-class background! Well, just an average Joe then? What is really striking about this is that people actually does pay attention to that information (online Guardian dedicated the front picture to this).
So is it just me? I mean, the largest part of population in the South of Britain belongs to the middle-class bunch, right? And apparently Banksy was born in the south of Britain. Why people then make so much fuss regarding his class status? And why all those middle-class journos write on this matter like if the middle-class was suddenly a personification of resident evil? Banksy's amongst the best British export and his work possesses those nearly-forgotten British qualities of being ironic, clever and punctual. Yes, that sort of qualities that once used to be held by the middle-classes (at that dark era when a tea was served right next to a fruitcake, hence - long time before Starbucks and the credit-frenzy). What is really worrying though is that people seriously still consider a class status as something important. On the beginning of 21st century, long time away from the Victorian era of false morality your average Brit still does give a shit about job occupation of Banksy's parents. If you ask me, this thinking is what makes bloody Britain backwards and pre-pubertal. Let's just put things straight - Banksy is a good chap that cares about things most people ignore and he does so pretty cleverly. Whoever cares about his personal status or family background is a backward twat!

3 comments:

Miss N.K. said...

Yes... Know your place.

Us Brits are famous for reminding people, 'of their place.' We also take great glee in the exposing and ridiculing of anyone who might have an ounce of artistic and political integrity. BEAT THEM DOWN IF ANYONE THINKS THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE CONTROVERSIAL, UNIQUE AND ANONYMOUS ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

Individuals from a middle class background should not I repeat should not be violating public property, that is the job of the under classes who know no better.'

Ahh yes the good old fashioned no nonsense british attitude, of not letting anyone rise above their station.

Qwerty said...

Banksy? Outed? Whaaaaatever.

Lilly Holiday said...

people didn't want him to be middle class they totally wanted him to be like a crazy homeless person so the things he was saying with his work could be written off as bitter and not the social comantary it is.
I love hs work and think it should speak to more people than it does.