except its on buildings which makes it hard to sell the painting plus westminster council (which normally paints over his stuff) are in my opinion at least quite elitest wit regards to things like that

He's really cool.

I am Banksy ;)

Don't tell anyone.

He's a cartoonist. And the living proof that leaded petrol has taken a huge toll on our collective intelligence and intellectualism.

i like banksy work, not on an artistic level but I admire him for making a statement, even though I disagree with his statements. The problem is I kind of have to believe in something and what I try and hold onto is equality under the law. If westminster council paints over the work of other street artists then it must paint over banksy's. So banksy, carry on - and westminster council and others carry on painting over it. Hope that makes some kind of sense!

@Maniac - I don't have a clue what Westminsters council's rules etc are but many councils hire graffitti artists to paint in certain areas of the city. For example Sheffield is covered in pieces of artwork which have been commissioned by the council. No idea who the artist is but i think it's brilliant. Maybe they have different rules for Bankys and graffitti 'artists' rather than people who just write AH 4 TP etc.

I for one would much rather look at an interesting, thought provoking piece of Banksys (misspelt in last sentence sorry) work than a boring brick wall.

@Biddis, if art is commissioned and painted on walls with the consent of the owner, then that is fine. If art is painted on walss that the artist doesn't own then that is vandalism, it doesn't matter if it is pretty vandalism, it should be painted over.

@maniac even if the majority of people want to keep it?

I take it you'll go an see it then trim?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8094839.stm

hell yeah im going probably alot more than once

@submariner banksys work is very thought provoking and intelligent much more so then most other modern art and dare i say it even fine art

Aw wow, i wanna come see it!!!!

@Maniac - Yeah definately i get you point and yeah it's anyones right to paint over they're own property if its vandalised. As for public building's i think maybe the council should accept that the public WANT to see it and therefore they should allow him - but then i guess if they did that it wouldn't be as much of a statement. I don't know, i like it anyway.

I'm pretty confident Banksy doesn't really match up to real fine art. That's a bit crazy. If the public like Banksy's work so much they can buy the wallspace for him. If he doesn't own it and nobody is willing to pay for it, it should be painted over and/or removed.

@hereward who desides it doesnt match up to the majority im guessing the can relate to and enjoy banksy more than fine art which means to me it goes beyond meerly matching up

Well, looks like I just found a good reason for a trip to Bristol... thanks for the link figlesquidge!

@trim - I'll answer your question with another if I may? How would you feel if I came over to your house and painted a giant tit on it and simulateously held an online referendum asking if the majority of people like it. If the majority of people like it should it stay there regardless of your feelings?

but most of his things are on council buildings so publicaly owned and he always ask private owners if he can do it on their buildings before he does

I think the majority of people, while appreciating the art itself, fail to get his message