For the very first time in 14 years, world-renowned graffiti artist Banksy is hosting a solo exhibition in Glasgow, set to attract street art lovers from all over the country to witness the rare event. The exhibition will be held at Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art from today (June 15) until August 28, giving plenty of time for everyone to witness the stencils that were used to create the famous street art.
Banksy named the collection ‘Cut & Run: 25 Years Card Labour’, as the stencils were previously hidden away to avoid charges, as well as keep his identity safe. Visitors can expect to witness famous works such as Kissing Coppers, first seen at the Prince Albert pub in Brighton in 2004, and Mobile Lovers, from Bristol in 2014 of a couple hugging while simultaneously looking at their screens.
The Girl with Balloon is also going to be there, explaining the process of exactly how Banksy managed to shred the piece of art after it was sold at an auction in 2018. After the piece was sold for a whopping £1 million, an alarm went off within the frame before the art fell into a concealed shredder.
On the exhibition website, Banksy said: “I’ve kept these stencils hidden away for years, mindful they could be used as evidence in a charge of criminal damage. But that moment seems to have passed, so now I’m exhibiting them in a gallery as works of art. I’m not sure which is the greater crime.”
The last time Banksy exhibited in Glasgow, was 2001 with the Peace Is Tough showing at The Arches, a collaboration with Jamie Reid, who designed the The Sex Pistols artwork. There were also several street art pieces done by the graffiti artist around Glasgow, yet all of them have been removed since.
Banksy also joked about ‘Cut & Run’, saying: “While the unauthorised Banksy shows might look like sweepings from my studio floor, CUT & RUN really is the actual sweepings from my studio floor.”
We cannot wait to see how this turns out, and you can get the tickets from the ‘Cut & Run’ website.