I suppose it’s some sort of an achievement to have people like local Lib Dem rubbish czar Gary Hopkins gushing over your work. It denotes a high level of recognition and acceptance by the blandest section of the mainstream at least.
But surely it’s a bit depressing for Banksy to know his work’s political content is being highly rated against yardsticks such as Ming Campbell, Lembit Opik and Mark Oaten? It certainly acts as a stark warning to The Blogger: you know the game’s up when some ridiculous Lib Dem fuckbucket off the council starts calling your work “art”.
Anyway, it seems one place Banksy’s work hasn’t quite penetrated yet is the so-called ‘intelligence community’. A recent copy of Eye Spy the – wait for it – ‘Intelligence Magazine’ seems to think it has found exclusive evidence of a terror plot.
Photo Special: ‘Al-Qaida missile graffiti near Houses of Parliament’ it proclaims in its latest issue. Then says:
“It’s incidents such as this that has forced the UK to think differently to counter the threat of home grown terrorism in the UK. This graffiti shows two rats assembling a rocket launcher opposite the House of Commons. Analysts believe it is a warning to those who govern the UK that they are vulnerable – even in one of the world’s most recognised landmarks”.
The graffiti in question is pictured above (left) and looks, to this analyst at least, suspiciously like the work of Banksy. Let’s hope ‘those who govern the UK’ are suitably warned…
[Hat tip: Paul Stott’s I Intend to Escape…]
Meanwhile back in Clifton, Bristol the great chief of all things rubbish, Hopkins, has discovered yet another new talent. Alongside his career as an insurance salesman, pizza delivery man and bloke who’s transformed Bristol City Council into one of the five worst local authorities in the UK we now learn he has another skill – authenticating works of art.
It seems a new Banksy work may have appeared in Clifton in early April (pictured above, right). On cue the usual bout of pant-wetting adoration at the mention of Banksy begins courtesy of the Council House, the local BBC and the Evening Cancer.
But then something strange happens… Doubts arise… Is it really a Banksy? Across Bristol the internet throbs to the hum of this vital question… Then a gnomic statement from Banksy’s spokeswomen – “He said it’s not him, but then he always says that”…
Until at last Hopkins – believed to be jetting out to New York City to advise the Warhol estate very soon – offers his opinion after thorough consultation with his chargehand at Sita Services:
A city council spokesman said he doubted the work was a genuine Banksy and was likely to be removed.
They don’t really get it do they?