11
Oct
2008
Banksy’s Big Apple Pet Store
Fans of Banksy Graffiti might not be wholly surprised to hear that he has used Animatronics in his latest work – a Pet Shop full of bizarre and outlandish creatures.
Back in 2005 in Westbourne Grove, London, Banksy filled a Shop with Art and live rats and you had to sign a disclaimer before entering to ensure you knew what might happen by way of rat! People were only let in four at a time to avoid harming the rodents and it must have been pretty strange to be viewing one of his oil paintings as a rat scurried up your leg.
At the new Pet Shop, where a rabbit applies cosmetics as chicken nuggets lap up sauces, the Pet Shop “Owner” is an actor and none of the exhibits are for sale.
Banksy explained, “New Yorkers don’t care about art, they care about pets. So I’m exhibiting them instead. I wanted to make art that questioned our relationship with animals and the ethics and sustainability of factory farming, but it ended up as chicken nuggets singing. I took all the money I made exploiting an animal in my last show and used it to fund a new show about the exploitation of animals. If it’s art and you can see it from the street, I guess it could still be considered street art.”
The Exhibition is not such a great surprise to Banksy Posters on forums, as it has been widely discussed for some time that Banksy was about to do something big and the appearance of the Giant Rat Murals was an exciting teaser to this fascinating store.
