🎥🎞️📝: "Who is Banksy? 》｜ Do artists need to show their faces?

In the study of communication theory, there is a field called Semiotics. Literally scrutinized, it can be seen that this is a science of dealing with signs, including how signs are constructed, how (being) interacted, and how to evolve and even give new meanings to old signs in human society. A single symbol has multiple interpretations. If we need to interpret a symbol, we often need to place it in a specific situation to interpret it correctly; in fact, the more ambiguous a symbol means, the more room for interpretation.

There is no fixed usage between the signifier and the signified of a symbol. Therefore, the symbol will be given different meanings in different social situations or linguistic contexts. For example, the action of "shaking the head" is often interpreted as a negative connotation in Taiwan; however, the same action is a body language of "identification" in India (strictly speaking, "shake the head" for a detailed interpretation can be found in " Nodding, " Shake your head, shake your head, what are the Indians going to say? 〉) Or, pointing your middle finger to the same person, you might interpret it as "F*CK YOU!" But someone who knows sign language can understand that it's an older brother or younger brother Meaning (sign language in English is " Sign Language ")

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In other words, the ambiguity of the sign brings multiple interpretations . In 2020, a documentary "Mysterious Doodler: Who is Banksy?" ( Banksy Most Wanted ) attempts to uncover the world's most mysterious graffiti artist Banksy (Banksy). As soon as Banksy sells, his works often become the focus of global media attention, and he is a frequent visitor to his works sold at high prices at art auctions. However, after nearly 30 years of debut, who is Banks? He has never revealed his true identity so far. The documentary interviews people who may know him, spy on his views on refugees, the environment, political issues, and media ecology step by step, trying to decipher his true face. With the deduction of the plot, the inquiries of the documentary also began to sound:

Do we really need to know the true identity of the artist?

This is not Roland. Roland Barthe's "author is dead" point of view as a retaliation, instead, to me it's more like Christopher Nolan's take on superheroes in The Dark Knight Trilogy interpretation

 I want to make Batman a symbol that everyone can be Batman

Like Batman who never takes off his mask in the movies, Banks never reveals his true colors. Once a reference to an identity is blurred, it can be used by everyone; therefore, tokenizing an identity opens up the possibility of sharing. In the case of Batman and Banksy, the publicity of shared avatars is shown

Can be used, but not owned

Masks, slogans, and slogans all contain this layer of metaphor, especially on the mask, a unique phenomenon will be derived from this line, which I call "mask personification, personification" . In the 2005 film "V for Vendetta" ( V for Vendetta ), there was a plot to personify objects. The main symbol in the film is Guy. Guy Fawkes mask ( Guy Fawkes mask ), in history, the prototype of this mask "Guy Fawkes" (Guy Fawkes) was originally a man who planned to overthrow the government in the 17th century, and was later arrested and sentenced to death for planning to reveal his secrets . In the movie, the protagonist V put on Guy. Fox mask, symbolizing V's determination to overthrow the totalitarian government.

Guy. Fox's seemingly short-lived protest has not only been reborn in the film, but has also become a symbol of anti- fascism and protests against authoritarian governments. All this comes from the 1980 American painter David. Lloyd (David Lloyd) painted its image into a mask, and collaborated with British cartoonist Alan. The graphic novel V Strange, co-authored by Alan Moore, is also the predecessor to the film of the same name.

In 2011 Occupy Wall Street protests ( Occupy Wall Street protests ) can also be seen participating in the crowd wearing Guy. Fox mask, and David. Lloyd also participated in the demonstration. In an interview with the BBC he responded:

"The Guy Fawkes mask has become a common brand and an accessible slogan against tyranny."

In addition, he also mentioned

"This group of anonymous groups participating in the march needs an all-purpose image to mask their identities and visualize their support for individualism."

in David. In Lloyd's response, we can find Guy. The created object, the Fox mask, is infused with a soul of rebellion against tyranny, transforming the object into a leader who leads the protests; at the same time, the masses participating in the resistance movement only need to wear the mask, so that those who participate in the march can know You are also part of it, as if you were also the guy who started the uprising back then. Fox. The entire parade does not need an actual leader, and a symbolic slogan can assemble the masses everywhere.

Heather Gautney, a sociology professor at Fordham University , wrote in The Washington Post , describing the Occupy Wall Street movement as a leaderless movement without an "official set of commands." leaderless movement )” . The movement has no specific results, no bottom line, and no commanding authority. In this movement, everyone is a leader .

Like the spirit of the Dark Knight trilogy, everyone can be Batman, and everyone can be a symbol of hope in Gotham City , so that this spirit can transcend the body and live forever. Looking at Banksy in this vein seems to be able to reason about why he has never been seen in public, and the ambiguity of his identity is a kind of protection for Banks and the masses who follow him; it is like wearing Guy Ricky at various demonstrations. For the masses of Fox, masks are not only for them to express their attitudes but also to protect their identities.

If someone were to declare to the world today on social media, "I am Banksy, I am the street graffiti artist who has been hiding for decades!" Such a bold announcement would definitely attract media coverage; however, the paradox is that also here

You can't admit he's Banksy

There's no denying he's Banksy

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References:

Soup peace. (2014). Nodding, shaking his head, shaking his head, what are the Indians going to say? Retrieved from: https://www.thenewslens.com/article/4581

Aurélia Rouvier, Seamus Haley. (2020). Banksy Most Wanted.

Philippa Snow. (2020). MASK UP: HOW THE GUY FAWKES MASK BECAME ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC DESIGN OBJECTS IN RECENT HISTORY. Pin-up. Retrieved from: https://pinupmagazine.org/articles/article-guy-fawkes- mask-v-for-vendetta

Heather Gautney. (2011). What is Occupy Wall Street? The history of leaderless movements . The Washington Post. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/what-is-occupy-wall- street-the-history-of-leaderless-movements/2011/10/10/gIQAwkFjaL_story.html

MONICA NICKELSBURG. (2015). A brief history of the Guy Fawkes mask . The Week. Retrieved from: https://theweek.com/articles/463151/brief-history-guy-fawkes-mask