For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to

the text.
Icon or vandal?
Banksy is an anonymous British graffiti artist renowned for his unconventional approach to art.
His work,which is displayed on streets around the world, is usually controversial and carries a
political or social theme. Banksy is not only artist, but he also an established film director and
political activist.

Although Banksy’s identity still remains a secret, it is known that his career as a graffiti artist
first emerged in the 1990’s. In the year 2000 he began to use stencils in order to make the
process quicker and his work became increasingly recognisable. The iconic images he produced,
such as rats and a policeman, were very unorthodox and displayed the artist’s revolutionary
tendencies. By the mid 2000s he was becoming a celebrity and his
work was selling for large sums of money. In 2005 he even left his mark on the walls of major
museums in New York and London, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Tate
Britain. As interest in Banksy grew, local councils no longer viewed his work as vandalism
when they realised the substantial value it was adding to the places he chose to work on, even if
it had appeared without their permission.

Although an artist himself, Banksy has often challenged the authority of art institutions and
struggled with the concept of people paying large sums of money for the medium. This was
perhaps most apparent in 2018, when a canvas version of his most popular mural, Girl with a
Balloon (2006), was sold for a staggering $1.4 million in 2018. However, soon after the painting
was sold, the work partially self-destructed, as intended by Banksy, who had fitted the canvas
with a shredder. Once sold, an alarm sounded inside the frame and the canvas passed through
the shredder. After the incident, Sotheby’s, the London auction house in charge of the
sale, acknowledged that Banksy was indeed responsible for the trick. Nevertheless, the purchase
still went ahead and the painting increased in value. This newly created piece of art became
known as “Love is in the Bin” and Sotheby’s stated that this had been the intention all along. In
2010 the artist released his first film, a documentary called “Exit through the Gift Shop.”

Directed by Banksy, it tells the story of a French immigrant in Los Angeles and his obsession
with street art. In 2011, the documentary was nominated for an Oscar and Banksy released the
following statement: “this is a big surprise ... I don’t agree with the concept of award
ceremonies, but I’m prepared to make an exception for the ones I am nominated for.” The film
did not win the award and critics were divided over the documentary, as many refused to see the
film at face value rather seeing it as simply poking fun at the profitability of the art industry.
Despite these other projects, however, essentially Banksy remains committed to street art. His
identity continues to be unknown and there is constant speculation in the media about the
possibility of spotting one of his latest projects. The term “ the Banksy effect” is now commonly
known, and used to mean the increased interest in street art, since Banksy’s work has become
well known and commercialised. By his own admission, Banksy describes himself as a “quality
vandal”. He also stated that “life in a city in which graffiti was legal
would be like a party where everyone was invited.”

I am not sure that everyone would feel that way, however, especially if it was your property
that was being painted on. Although Banksy is undeniably a fascinating character with a clear
statement to make, is his growing fame not just encouraging others to carry out, what is
essentially, the illegal act of vandalism? Banksy’s work has become desirable and indeed
revered by many, though a great deal of graffiti isn’t, and in some cases it can really ruin an
area. Now the artist has established himself as a worldwide icon, shouldn’t he be finding more
responsible ways of expressing his ideas and art to the public?

1 Early on in his career, it was apparent that the theme of Banksy’s work was
A going to be iconic
B worth a lot of money
C extremely recognisable
D against convention
2 Why did the authorities start to accept Banksy’s graffiti?
A because he now seeks permission
B because he does not damage property
C because his work is worth a lot of money
D because his work is of good quality
3 According to the auction house, why did Banksy decide to destroy his own work?
A to play a joke on the buyer
B to increase the value of the painting
C to produce something new
D to challenge the art world
4 How does Banksy feel about being nominated for an Oscar?
A annoyed as he doesn’t agree with award ceremonies
B glad, but also astonished
C disappointed he didn’t win
D happy, because he thinks highly of the Oscars
5 Why is Banksy still often featured in news reports?
A because he is now considered to be a vandal
B because he wants to legalise graffiti
C because his suspected work still draws attention
D because they want to expose his identity
6 According to the writer, Banksy should
A find more innovative ways of expressing himself
B seek permission from property owners first
C be setting a better example to his fans
D help others to produce better graffiti