The 1990s were an exciting time in British popular culture with youth, in particular, shaping and informing the cultural identity of the country. In terms of visual art, The Young British Artists - pioneered and led by Damien Hirst and Tracy Emin - challenged and questioned the art establishment through their conceptual and bold installations. Musically, Brit Pop emerged notably though bands such as Oasis, Pulp and Blur and with it a sense of youth and energy permeated every facet of mainstream culture. However, it was the underground, that hotbed of disregard, of angst and anger, that proved one of the most fertile of grounds for the rise of counter culture. Banksy began his early career set to this backdrop of youthful energy and expression where the possibilities that Banksy’s artworks could have a real impact on the wider cultural and societal discourses.
As unknown then as he is to today, but far less famous, Banksy was active across the south-West of the UK at the time, honing his style that would see him go on to become the biggest street artist in the world. During the 1990s, Banksy’s style was different to what we know today and he tended to use a freehand style more so than the stencil based composition he is better known for - in the same year the artist produced his large mural Mild Mild West - depicting a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail at three riot police.
In a recent report from the BBC, early Banksy murals were unearthed - long since painted over - when the artist was approached by senior youth worker for the area who was looking for local artists to inspire a generation of children in west Bristol and reached out to Banksy for his participation.
Banksy agreed to the project for a reported £50.00 and created a series of works with the help of the children at the Youth Centre. According to Peter de Boeur, the youth worker who organized the project, "The thing that struck me back then was he didn't really have an ego. He was doing art with them, rather than doing art for them. In the morning, he sat around a table with the children, talking about their ideas.Then they would all just muck in and spray these things that were invented. It wasn't more Banksy than the young people, it was definitely a kind of 50/50 thing.
The early works highlight themes that runs throughout Banksy’s career: the importance of socially conscious and active work, youth and community and the guerrilla DIY aesthetic and energy that is so beloved by collectors across the world.
Fast forward to 2025 and Banksy is a household name and global phenomenon. His works have became part of our visual lexicon of the 21st century and are known across the world. Whilst the murals may have long been painted over, Baksy’s art has reached all four corners of the globe and he has gone on to be the artist of his generation.
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