Apparently out of anger at the use of one of his motives, the mysterious street artist Banksy appears to have indirectly encouraged his fans to shoplift. The Briton posted a photo on his Instagram account on Friday, which allegedly shows the window of a fashion chain in London. There, behind some garments, the well-known Banksy motif “Flower Thrower” can be seen – a masked man about to throw a bouquet of flowers. The shop window reads, “Guess x branded with graffiti by Banksy.”
Banksy wrote: “Watch out for pickpockets, please go to Guess on Regent Street. They used my art without asking. How could it be wrong if you do the same with her clothes?” As of Friday night, more than 900,000 users had “liked” the post.
No response from Guess
The company Guess previously announced a collection inspired by Banksy’s spray art. According to a press release, creative director Paul Marciano, 70, said, “Banksy’s graffiti has had a phenomenal influence that resonates throughout popular culture.” The collection is a way for fashion to thank the artist. It was created in collaboration with Brandalised, whose mission is to “provide affordable graffiti collectibles to Banksy fans”. Brandalised sells numerous products with Banksy motifs. There was initially no response from Guess.
Banksy’s identity is unknown. The only thing that has been clarified is that he is from Bristol in the west of England. He recently caused a stir with several graffiti on war-damaged buildings in several Ukrainian cities. (SDA)