Swindle Magazine Issue No. 8

SWINDLE MAGAZINE (ISSUE NO. 8): BANKSY - THE NAKED TRUTH, 2006

The rare issue, featuring a 10-page interview with Banksy by Shepard Fairey and Roger Gastman, titled 'The Man, The Myth, The Miscreant' (with artwork by Banksy, front and back covers). This US quarterly publication (which ran from 2004-2009) had the artist Shepard Fairey as the Senior Creative Director and Roger Gastman as Editor-in-Chief. Significantly, this 2006 interview coincided with Banksy's much-acclaimed show, 'Barely Legal' in Los Angeles, which is widely considered to be his international break-out exhibition (it was held over the weekend of September 16th, 2006), and catapulted him firmly on the way to international recognition (and infamy).

Dimensions: 11 x 9 x .5 inches

Medium: 160 page paperback limited edition magazine from 2006 featuring artwork by Banksy on front and back cover. Sticker booklet of graffiti tags included (see photos).

Provenance: Comes with original page inserts and gallery certificate of authenticity.

Edition: Limited Edition 

Year: 2006

Condition: Very Good. (slight imperfections on spine)

ARTIST BIO

Banksy (British, born c. 1974/1975) is one of the most well-known, if anonymous, street artists working today. Banksy, the pseudonym adopted by the artist, guards his privacy and the details of his life remain largely unknown to the public. He initially garnered fame for his grafitti, which combines spray paint and stenciling techniques with commercial, political, and contemporary imagery, infused with ironic social commentary and humor. His work first began appearing on walls in and around Bristol and London’s Shoreditch district during the mid-1990s, and he has since gone on to place images on the sides of corporate buildings, billboards, and the Israeli West Bank wall.

The unveiling of a new Banksy works often incorporates pranks or performance. For example, he secretly added his own pieces in museums like the Tate Modern in London or the Paris Louvre, smuggling them in under a coat and discreetly affixing them to a wall. He has also opened gallery shows to the public with specially-bred rats running around the space, and once inserted an inflatable doll dressed as a Guantanamo Bay prisoner into the Disneyland theme park in California.

In 2015, Banksy created a large-scale installation titled Dismaland Bemusement Park, and immersive and fully functional amusement park that featured political commentary on the distribution of wealth, sexism, and the UK government. The park operated from August to September of 2015, was funded by Banksy himself. In addition to his regular graffiti practice, Banksy creates works for several charities, and consistently opens exhibitions to wide audiences and critical acclaim. He lives and works in England.