We round up some of the best Banksy quotes, a world-renowned graffiti artist who first gained notoriety for his subversive street art in the 1990s.
Banksy is a famous street artist who originated from Bristol, England. He first started gaining attention in the late 1990s for his unique stenciling technique. His artwork often consists of politically and socially charged graffiti and murals. He is known for his dark humor and satire.
Over the past few years, Banksy’s work has begun to fetch high prices at auction, making him one of the most successful artists of his generation. While he is known for his art, he is also known for his sharp wit and clever quips. Here are some of the most memorable Banksy quotes:
Banksy quotes about creativity
When it comes to creativity, there’s no shortage of inspiration to be found in the words of Banksy. The world-renowned street artist is known for his thought-provoking and often humorous work, which has been known to spark the imagination. Here are some of our favorite Banksy quotes to get your creative juices flowing:
“Your mind is working at its best when you’re being paranoid. You explore every avenue and possibility of your situation at high speed with total clarity.”
“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
“Become good at cheating and you never need to become good at anything else.”
“I’ve learnt from experience that a painting isn’t finished when you put down your brush – that’s when it starts. The public reaction is what supplies meaning and value. Art comes alive in the arguments you have about it.”
“Nothing in the world is more common than unsuccessful people with talent, leave the house before you find something worth staying in for.”
“Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a f*cking sharp knife to it.”
“There’s nothing more dangerous than someone who wants to make the world a better place.”
“I want to live in a world created by art, not just decorated with it.”
“Sometimes the right thing to do…is the wrong thing.”
“You don’t need planning permission to build castles in the sky.”
Banksy quotes about art
In the world of art, Banksy is a household name. His street art is known for its social and political commentary, and he’s never afraid to speak his mind. Check pot our collection of Banksy quotes on art.
“Painting something that defies the law of the land is good. Painting something that defies the law of the land and the law of gravity at the same time is ideal.”
“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish…but that’s only if it’s done properly.”
“All artists are willing to suffer for their work. But why are so few prepared to learn to draw?”
“Should graffiti be judged on the same level as modern art? Of course not: It’s way more important than that.”
“I know street art can feel increasingly like the marketing wing of an art career, so I wanted to make some art without the price tag attached. There’s no gallery show or book or film. It’s pointless. Which hopefully means something.”
“The art world is the biggest joke going. It’s a rest home for the overprivileged, the pretentious, and the weak. And modern art is a disgrace – never have so many people used so much stuff and taken so long to say so little.”
“Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little.”
“The Art we look at is made by only a select few. A small group create, promote, purchase, exhibit and decide the success of Art. Only a few hundred people in the world have any real say.”
“Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don’t come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they’re having a piss.”
“Today’s art has been cancelled due to police activity.”
Best Banksy quotes
Banksy is known for his ability to make people think about important issues, and his quotes are no different. Here are some Banksy quotes to live by:
“I don’t know why people are so keen to put the details of their private life in public; they forget that invisibility is a superpower.”
“Speak softly, but carry a big can of paint.”
“If you want to say something and have people listen then you have to wear a mask. If you want to be honest then you have to live a lie.”
“People who enjoy waving flags don’t deserve to have one.”
“Some people represent authority without ever possessing any of their own.”
“If you are dirty, insignificant and unloved then rats are the ultimate role model.”
“I like to think I have the guts to stand up anonymously in a western democracy and call for things no-one else believes in – like peace and justice and freedom.”
“Only when the last tree has been cut down and the last river has dried up will man realise that reciting red indian proverbs makes you sound like a fucking muppet.”
“When the time comes to leave, just walk away quietly and don’t make any fuss.”
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.”
Banksy quotes about life
In a world where we are constantly bombarded with negativity, it’s refreshing to hear the words of Banksy. The street artist is known for his thought-provoking artwork, and his artwork are just as powerful. Here are some Banksy quotes on life:
“People either love me or they hate me, or they don’t really care.”
“I mean, they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time.”
“You owe the companies nothing. You especially don’t owe them any courtesy. They have re-arranged the world to put themselves in front of you. They never asked for your permission, don’t even start asking for theirs.”
“I need someone to protect me from all the measures they take in order to protect me.”
“Some people become cops because they want to make the world a better place. Some people become vandals because they want to make the world a better looking place.”
“A lot of mothers will do anything for their children, except let them be themselves.”
“The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules. It’s people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages. As a precaution to never committing major acts of evil it is our solemn duty never to do what we’re told, this is the only way we can be sure.”
“A lot of people never use their initiative because no-one told them to.”
“People who get up early in the morning cause war, death and famine.”
“I’ve never really understood why people sleep. Wasting a third of your life and becoming vulnerable for almost 8 hours every night. Doesn’t seem very appealing to me.”
Positive Banksy quotes
Banksy’s work has brought him both acclaim and criticism, but his quotes are always thought-provoking and encouraging. Here are some of our favorite Banksy quotes:
“If at first you don’t succeed, call an airstrike.”
“Remember – it’s always easier to get forgiveness than permission.”
“Be positive, patient and persistent.”
“If you want someone to be ignored then build a life-size bronze statue of them and stick it in the middle of town. It doesn’t matter how great you were, it’ll always take an unfunny drunk with climbing skills to make people notice you.”
“The time of getting fame for your name on its own is over. Artwork that is only about wanting to be famous will never make you famous. Any fame is a by-product of making something that means something.”
“Sometimes I feel so sick at the state of the world I can’t even finish my second apple pie.”
“Live as a villain, die as a hero.”
“Fight the fighters, not their wars.”
“This revolution is for display purposes only.”
“People seem to think if they dress like a revolutionary, they don`t actually have to behave like one.”
Banksy quotes on brandalism
“Imagine a city where graffiti wasn’t illegal, a city where everybody could draw whatever they liked. Where every street was awash with a million colours and little phrases. Where standing at a bus stop was never boring.”
“A city that felt like a party where everyone was invited, not just the estate agents and barons of big business. Imagine a city like that and stop leaning against the wall – it’s wet.”
“Graffiti ultimately wins out over proper art because it becomes part of your city, it’ s a tool; I’ll meet you in that pub, you know, the one opposite that wall with a picture of a monkey holding a chainsaw. I mean, how much more useful can a painting be than that?”
“A wall is a very big weapon. It’s one of the nastiest things you can hit someone with.”
“My main problem with cops is that they do what they’re told. They say ’Sorry mate, I’m just doing my job’ all the fucking time.”
“It’s a very frustrated feeling you get when the only people with good photos of you work are the police department.”
“I don’t believe in anything. I’m just here for the violence.”
“Policemen and security guards wear hats with a peak that comes down low over their eyes. Apparently this is for psychological reasons. Eyebrows are very expressive and you appear a lot more authoritative if you keep them covered up.”
“Remember crime against property is not real crime. People look at an oil painting and admire the use of brushstrokes to convey meaning. People look at a graffiti painting and admire the use of a drainpipe to gain access.”
“Art is not like other culture because its success is not made by its audience.”
Deep Banksy quotes
“I think its pretty clear that film is the pre-eminent art form of our age. If Michaelangelo or Leonardo Da Vinci were alive today they’d be making Avatar, not painting a chapel. Film is incredibly democratic and accessible, it’s probably the best option if you actually want to change the world, not just re-decorate it.”
“There are no exceptions to the rule that everyone thinks they’re an exception to the rules.”
“Nothing is black and white, and there is no purity and there is no such thing has justice.”
“The human race is the most stupid and unfair kind of race. A lot of the runners don’t even get decent sneakers or clean drinking water. Some runners are born with a massive head start, every possible help along the way and still the referees seem to be on their side.”
“It’s not surprising a lot of people have given up compeating altogether and gone to sit in the grandstand, eat junk and shout abuse. What the human race needs is a lot more streakers.”
“They say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time.”
“There are four basic human needs; food, sleep, sex and revenge.”
“The holy grail is to spend less time making the picture than it takes people to look at it.”
“All summer long the bee collected nectar from morning to night while the bear lay on his back basking in the long grass. When winter came the bear realised he had nothing to eat and thought to himself ’I hope that busy little bee will share some of his honey with me.’ But the bee was nowhere to be found – he had died of a stress induced coronary disease.”
Final thought
It is evident that Banksy quotes are both clever and thought-provoking. His use of humor and satire makes his work all the more powerful. It is clear that he is not only an artist, but also a social commentator. His work has the ability to make people stop and think about the world around them.
If you’re a fan of Banksy, then you’ll definitely appreciate these Banksy quotes. What’s your favorite Banksy quotes? Don’t forget to share your thought in the comment section below.
Read more: Andy Warhol quotes | Jackson Pollock quotes | art quotes | sketch quotes | drawing quotes | painting quotes.