[Is Banksy a true inheritor of the 20th century avant-guard?]

By

Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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Abstract

This paper presents a research related to Street art and describes a brief overview of history of street art. Further, the paper proposes a research question and discusses the Street art by answering to that question. It also examines the street art work of famous artists, more significantly Banksy's work and contribution towards street art. Banksy adopted street art as a way to present his style to general people that fulfils all the criteria of an art form with his own methods, styling and representations. The first chapter presents an introduction to the Street art and graffiti proposes a research question about the Limits of Avant-Garde and the concept of modernity along with some sub questions regarding Banksy's work in the field of Street art. These questions provide rationale for the study to present a discussion and an analysis of street art as a true art. The second chapter describes a brief overview of Dada Movement along with its critiques with a stress over its positive nature. The third chapter compares the rebellious nature and traditions of graffiti and street art to the goals and aims of the Dada movement. This is followed by the last chapter of conclusion that provides a synopsis of the whole research and answers the defined research questions specifically. The idea behind the research study is to determine that street art as one of the strong forms of art that does not require any gallery or museum to be acclaimed. There are so many critics that are against street art and do not accept Banksy's way of exhibiting his art through it but Banksy's made it clear with his work that street art is much more transient than traditional art and can be considered as a modernist method of expression.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION17

1.1.Introduction17

1.2.Aims and Objectives19

1.3.Research Questions19

1.4.Research Method20

1.5.A Historic View of Street Art20

1.6.Identifying the Space between Graffiti and Street Art24

1.7.The Banksy's Opinion27

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF ART STREET WORK & ARTISTS32

2.1.The Graffiti Framework32

2.2.The Dada Movement and the key artists33

2.3.The Controversy and the Dada Art36

CHAPTER 3: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS40

CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION45

REFERENCES49

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Street art is a comprehensive term for the quickening singularity of sneaky imagery introduced by generally fresh artists into the municipal potage of viaducts, backstreets and abandoned street places. It has roots in the outpouring of graffiti spray painting in 1970's and 80's; it's a diverse mandate of business. In the transitory archives of history of street art, graffiti grades as rather similar to grotto painting, a first gesticulation, ...