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Bethlehem: Banksy opens The Walled Off Hotel

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10 years after his first initiative in Bethlehem, elusive British artist Banksy has returned to unveiled his latest project: The Walled Off Hotel , with 10 rooms nestled against the controversial barrier wall separating Israel from the Palestinian territories.

Located in the historic city, the hotel with its nine rooms for £30 a night and one presidential suite, will be open for bookings on its website later this month. It’s a real business adventure, aiming to bring jobs and tourists to a town whose pilgrim and sightseeing-based economy has been ravaged by ever tighter Israeli controls on travel between Israeli and Palestinian territories.

There have been few reasons for Israelis to visit Bethlehem in recent years, because they are banned by law from visiting the town and all its main tourist sites.

It contains dozens of Banksy works, a themed bar and interactive exhibits.  One depicts the signing of the Balfour Declaration which set the conditions for the establishment of Israel 100 years ago this year.

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The hotel has been “decorated to resemble an English gentlemen’s club from colonial times” in recognition of the historical role Britain played in the region.

Banksy says people from all sides of the Middle East conflict are welcome to stay, and he is not affiliated to any political party or pressure group.

From the 11th March the museum and art gallery will be open to non-residents every day. Guests can peruse a collection of Banksy artworks that include vandalised oil paintings and statues choking on tear gas fumes. The gallery space enjoys complete autonomy from the rest of the hotel and is curated by the venerated historian and critic Ismal Duddera. He has assembled a permanent collection of real heft and significance. Many of the most notable Palestinian artists from the past 20 years are here – including Sliman Mansour with his iconic “And the Convoy Keeps Going”. An adjoining space is dedicated to temporary shows by upcoming artists.

The museum is dedicated solely to the biography of the wall. It contains state-of-the-art audio visual presentations and a very old tree. Other highlights includes an animated history of the region, military pornography and original beach sculpture from Gaza. The cinema plays excerpts from the mighty Oscar nominated ‘Five Broken Cameras’ – and one of those very same bullet-damaged cameras is on display.
Curated in association with Dr Gavin Grindon from Essex University the museum contains almost fully fact-checked material and will be an ongoing repository for local stories, artefacts and testimonies.

The Hotel also features a graffiti supplies store called ‘Wall – Mart’ that will launch on 20th March, providing supplies for clients who want to paint the Wall nearby.

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Photo credit: The Guardian / The Walled Off Hotel

The Walled Off Hotel
182 Caritas Street, Bethlehem, Palestine

www.walledoffhotel.com

Auctions

London: Banksy SWAT van to be auctioned

Banksy SWAT Van

A van that was once used by the SWAT team and then spraypainted by elusive artist Banksy is to be auctioned in London at Bonhams on 29 June.

It was first displayed at the infamous Barely Legal exhibition in Los Angeles back in 2006,  where Banksy also featured a live painted elephant in the room.

On one side of the van, Banksy has spraypainted heavily armed special forces agents being hoodwinked by a small boy. On the other, Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz is caught in a storm of graffiti. On the back it says: How’s My Bombing? Call 1-800-648-0403.

Ralph Taylor, senior director of  Bonhams’ postwar and contemporary art department, called it “probably the most significant piece by the artist to ever come to auction and without doubt the most ambitious”.  The work has been verified by Pest Control Office and comes with an estimate of £200,000-300,000.

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Photo credit: Butterfly & Bonhams

Update: The Banksy SWAT van sold for £218,500 inc. premium.

Bristol

Streets: Banksy at Bridge Farm Primary School (Bristol)

Banksy Square (Large)

Banksy is back to his hometown in Bristol with a new piece that appeared overnight  on the wall of Bridge Farm Primary School.

The work was done as a thank you gift to the children that named one of the houses after him. A few weeks ago, the school ran a competition to change house names and the school officials wrote to Banksy’s team to let him know about it.

The doodle-style mural depicts a kid rolling a burning tire next to a house and flower, like a tongue in cheek  comment on the current society and riots.

The work was accompanied by a hand written letter by Banksy which reads :

“Dear Bridge Farm School, thanks for your letter and naming a house after me.
Please have a picture, and if you don’t like it, feel free to add stuff. I’m sure the teachers won’t mind. Remember, it’s always easier to get forgiveness than permission.  Much love, Banksy.”

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Photo credit: Feralthings

London, Shows

London: Still Here, A Decade of Lazarides

A decade of Lazarides

Until 24th March 2016, Lazarides is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a group exhibition ‘Still Here – A Decade of Lazarides’.
For the landmark exhibition, celebrated and pioneering artists who have helped shape the gallery are taking over the Rathbone space in London over three floors.

Featuring 3D, Aiko, Anthony Lister, Antony Micallef, Banksy, Brett Amory, Chloe Early, David Choe, Doug Foster, Faile, Frank Laws, Gary Taxali, Herbert Baglione, Hush, Ian Francis, Invader, Joe Rush, Jonathan Yeo, JR, Karim Zeriahen, Katrin Fridriks, Know Hope / Addam Y, Lucy McLauchlan, Marcus Jansen, Mark Jenkins, Miaz Brothers, Mode 2, Nina Pandolfo, Oliver Jeffers, Pete Hawkins, Ron English, Sage Vaughn, Scott Campbell, Sickboy, Stanley Donwood, TEACH, Todd James / REAS, Vhils, Xenz, Zevs

A decade of Lazarides
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View the full set of pics here

London, Street, streets

Streets: Banksy – Les Miserables (London)

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Banksy - London 2016

As mentionned earlier (see here) Banksy created a new artwork in London on Saturday night. As usual location is key and the new stencil appeared  on the corner of a very busy road of Knightsbridge, surrounded by lots of CCTV but most importantly opposite the French Embassy under the watchful eyes of security guards.

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The mural is a re appropriation of the iconic image of Cosette for Les Miserables, the little girl depicted in the historical novel of Victor Hugo during the French Revolution, whose mum left to another family hoping she would get a better life.

The French flag, used as symbol of Freedom during the French revolution but also for Les Droits de L’homme (Human rights) is torn apart. Grey tears are rolling down the girl’s face, provoked by a cloud of teargas from the CS cannister laying on the floor.

The mural is a continuation of Banksy’s engagement in raising awareness about the migrant situation in Europe, and specially in Calais. It’s a direct comment on the recent actions by French authorities to destroy part of the Jungle and evict around 1,500 refugees using teargas.

France is the ‘Pays des Droits de l’Homme’, country of Human Rights, but looking closer at the living conditions in the “Jungle” camp of Calais, it is a total disgrace.

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The mural also features an interactive piece, a QR code that directs you to a video showing the use of CS gas by French Police towards the migrants.

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As soon as the mural was confirmed on Banksy’s website, a few attempted to steal the artwork overnight, but it only resulted in some visible damages.

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While builders were having a meeting on how to protect / remove the piece, more media and fans arrived at the scene.

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It was not long before builders tried to remove it, and failed miserably, noticing it was glued to another board (video).

It was subsequently covered and watched over by a security guard before being taken down permanently, only to appear in the near future at some art dealer or gallery.

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Despite the short lifespan of the artwork, let’s hope that it continues to raise awareness about the refugees crisis and inhuman living conditions in the Calais ‘Jungle’ camp and that authorities (regardless of their country flags) will work to  improve the situation for both migrants and local residents.

Banksy - London 2016

Farewell Cosette …

View the full set of pics here