If you feel dirty, insignificant or unloved, then rats are a good role model. They exist without permission, they have no respect for the hierarchy of society, and they have sex 50 times a day.
BanksyRead
There's obviously nothing wrong with selling your art - only an idiot with a trust fund would tell you otherwise. But it's confusing to know how far you should take it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Selling your art is not wrong, but it can be challenging to determine the right balance between commercial success and artistic integrity.
In this quote, Banksy addresses the common tension artists face between the commercialization of their work and maintaining their artistic vision. He implies that financial success should not be viewed negatively, but rather acknowledges that finding the right path can be difficult, especially when external opinions may discourage artists from selling their creations.
Themes
ArtSellingCommercializationIntegritySuccess
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the challenges of pursuing a career in the arts at a gathering of art students.
More from Banksy
All quotes →T.V. has made going to the theatre seem pointless, photography has pretty much killed painting but graffiti has remained gloriously unspoilt by progress.
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I originally set out to try and save the world, but now I'm not sure I like it enough.
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Graffiti ultimately wins out over proper art because it becomes part of your city, it' s a tool; "I'll meet you in that pub, you know, the one opposite that wall with a picture of a monkey holding a chainsaw". I mean, how much more useful can a painting be than that?
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Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a f**king sharp knife to it.
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Gaza is often described as 'the world's largest open air prison' because no-one is allowed to enter or leave. But that seems a bit unfair to prisons - they don’t have their electricity and drinking water cut off randomly almost every day.
BanksyRead
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