I didn’t know how to start this article. Our topic is Banksy and a large-scale, ostentatious Banksy exhibition in Istanbul: “The Art of Banksy.” Just like everybody else, I encountered a huge problem before even going to the exhibition. Not only was the street artist Banksy entrapped in an exhibition hall, the “anti-capitalist” artist’s exhibition had an admission fee of 35 TL. This couldn’t be possible. The sponsors and the organizers appeared to be making fun of Banksy, who is best known for his anti-consumption, anti-corporate stance.

Skipping over the admission issue by organizing for an invitation, I arrived at the exhibition hall with the skeptical voice in my mind accompanying me. And what I then saw was unbelievable. I encountered a series of strangenesses that seemed to be gathered under the heading, “Let’s do the exact opposite of everything that Banksy tries to do and to represent.” Let me try to explain the absurdities that are way beyond the scrutiny of critical thinking and which actually seem to try to destroy logic itself. 

As a tragicomical anti-Banksy move, I encountered a “red carpet” at the entrance to the exhibition. What does it mean to appear on the red carpet and to even go as far as to pose on the red carpet at the exhibition of an artist who is a street artist and thus has to constantly move, moving on the “underground”, deemed illegal by the law and who cannot even show his face? This is like a bad and amateurish joke. Are those who walk on the red carpet completely ignorant (who is this Banksy?) or is this complete carelessness (Who cares about this Banksy?). I don’t know which scenario is worse.

The second joke of the exhibition also greets us at the entrance: “This exhibition is under surveillance using a CCTV system.” Do the organizers not know Banksy’s One Nation Under CCTV (referring to the maxim of one nation under one flag)? Banksy had written this on the wall with huge letters a while ago to criticize surveillance systems. No sir, these signs are placed in a few spots in the exhibition quite seriously, almost insulting Banksy. This was as contrary to an artist’s thinking and practice as you can get. 

There was another joke at the entrance to the exhibition. I’m not sure for what purpose, but the organizers of the exhibition decided to “animate” the figures in Banksy’s stencils. The first figure that I saw was the maid girl from the London Maid stencil. This wall work that Banksy produced as a critical gesture was enacted by a girl who was there so that people could take photographs. She holds a dustpan, posing by the wall as if she is “sweeping.” Impossible. Unfortunately, the viewers of the exhibition loved this idea; there were so many people posing with the girl. This reenactment comedy continued; “the smiling soldier with a weapon” stencil, which Banksy had produced, again, critically, was sure enough, reenacted by a man dressed in military uniform, holding a gun. It makes one think—this anti-militarism work being transformed into a military performance.

We continue: now we encounter the stencil, “girl carrying a bomb.” Incredible, but true. A replica of that girl is walking around in the exhibition hall, carrying a bomb and people are taking souvenir photos with her. Did somebody say culture of spectacle internalizes and neutralizes political criticism? You see, this is a perfect example of that. The last one of these ridiculous performances is perhaps the worst. Banksy’s Flower Thrower stencil is reenacted, exemplary of the impeccable imagination behind this exhibition. The flower is not being thrown, nor is that person an activist. Political content, artistic aesthetic are destroyed, about to die. It is important to underline here that these performances, which could only be comical, are not presented to us as comedy. It’s great that these guys did not try to reenact Banksy’s work Napalm. Banksy had placed a McDonalds and a Disney puppet next to the girl (Kim Puch) who was seen escaping from the Napalm bomb. Banksy was pointing to a terrible reality with this juxtaposition. 

After being subjected to all these performances, guess through which section you exit the exhibition. A clue: Banksy had made a mocumentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop. They did not fail to apply this and the last stop in the exhibition (not ironically, actually!), a gift shop! And in this gift shop, various Banksy merchandise, including cookies, are sold at high prices. Just as I think to myself, there can’t be any more jokes, there is one last surprise: when exiting the exhibition, you encounter attendants wearing bowler hats, just like those in London hotels, saying goodbye to you. But where is Banksy and his critical thinking? Not here. A Banksy caricature, a Banksy parody is seriously presented as a Banksy exhibition.

And then you think, how could Banksy give permission to the making of such an exhibition. If you dismiss the exhibition as the product of tragicomical ignorance, what about Banksy, who is near and dear to political and alternative minds? This article was going to talk about the answer to this question, but thanks to an interview by Ayşegül Sönmez on Sanatatak, we found out the answer: Banksy doesn’t know about this exhibition! Another joke that destroys logic for you! Supposedly, an old “representative” of Banksy organized this exhibition without Banksy’s knowledge. I’m not asking how this could happen, because Banksy’s “real identity” is not known, his “legal” identity is vague. Actually, here there is a more grave question: how can somebody whose existence and artistic practice are “illegal” open an exhibition? Banksy, while opening exhibitions and selling works, takes advantage of his mysterious persona, created by making illegal street art and the consequent aura, charisma. In reality, a Banksy exhibition anywhere in the world is problematic in and of itself and insincere. Banksy can be further criticized in this manner, but let’s return to our main subject, the exhibition. 

This exhibition is a very extreme and tragicomical example of capitalism destroying the oppositional vein and content in art. It is not necessary to repeat criticisms like that of Jameson saying, “capitalism’s all-enveloping arms are also destroying art.” Among the invitees to the exhibition was the current president’s daughter. She showed up. She loved the works. Would you laugh or would you cry to this? Does she know that Banksy makes works against homophobia, militarism, and capitalism? Or that he defends nature and freedom of expression? Here is a huge paradox. Everything that Banksy criticizes (from violent capitalism to nationalism to homophobia to militarism) is rampantly present in this strange country, Turkey, state representatives (let’s say the state family) are invited to the exhibition and this doesn’t even trigger a reaction.

Welcome to Turkey Banksy, but you didn’t come here, your parody did. You didn’t move any stones here, even the state officials liked you. If anybody knows Banksy, they should tell him; he should come and do a stencil on the large building where the exhibition is taking place. For example, a docile portrait of Banksy with his arms tied by holding companies and states would be appropriate. One can’t help but think about A Clockwork Orange’s Alex and his end.