"Turf War" was the first major exhibition by artist
Banksy
Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist, and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. Active since the 1990s, his satirical street art and subversive ep ...
, staged in a warehouse on Kingsland Road in London's East End in 2003.
Description
The exhibition was held in an East London warehouse over several days in July 2003, and featured painted animals, including pigs in police colours, sheep in "concentration camp stripes", and a cow with
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...
's face.
''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'' described the show as "a Barnumesque spectacle, staged at a secret location", and noted the inclusion of a portrait of
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
as a chimpanzee. The show also displayed vandalized classic oil paintings. The exhibition was partly sponsored by the fashion brand Puma, who produced collaborative t-shirts and sneakers featuring 'Turf War' branding.
The exhibition's location was not revealed until one day before it began. "Turf War" marked Banksy's first gallery show in the United Kingdom.
Reception
Banksy biographer Will Ellsworth-Jones regards "Turf War" as Banksy's "breakthrough" exhibition.
Artnet
Artnet.com is an art market website. It is operated by Artnet Worldwide Corporation, which has headquarters in New York City. It is owned by Artnet AG, a German publicly-traded company based in Berlin that is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Ex ...
said the exhibition was "one of England's best -- and briefest" of the season. The exhibition, which featured live animals, sparked protests by animal rights group. One activist chained herself to the railings surrounding a painted cow, despite approvals the
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
attended the exhibition.
In 2014 and 2015, ''
Business Insider
''Business Insider'' (stylized in all caps: BUSINESS INSIDER; known from 2021 to 2023 as INSIDER) is a New York City–based multinational financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Inside ...
'' Christian Storm and Jack Sommer mentioned the exhibition in their overviews, "25 of Banksy's Cleverest Works" and "Banksy's most clever works", respectively.
Some of the exhibition's artworks were put up for sale by
Steve Lazarides in 2018.
See also
*
2003 in art
*
List of works by Banksy
The following is a list of works by Banksy. Banksy, active since the 1990s, is an England-based graffiti artist, political activist and film director whose real identity is unknown. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark hu ...
References
{{Banksy
2003 in London
2003 works
Art exhibitions in London
Works by Banksy
Contemporary art exhibitions