But there’s no way round it-commercial success is a mark of failure for a graffiti artist. We’re not supposed to be embraced in that way. When you look at how society rewards so many of the wrong people, it’s hard not to view financial reimbursement as a badge of self-serving mediocrity.
BANKSY
BANKSY
Banksy on self
Banksy115 quotes“But there’s no way round it-commercial success is a mark of failure for a graffiti artist. We’re not supposed to be embraced in that way. When you look at how society rewards so many of the wrong people, it’s hard not to view financial reimbursement as a badge of self-serving mediocrity.”
More from Banksy
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.
BanksyBanksy Nothing in the world is more common than unsuccessful people with talent, leave the house before you find something worth staying in for.
BanksyBanksy I love the way capitalism finds a place – even for its enemies.
BanksyBanksy Nothing is black and white, and there is no purity and there is no such thing has justice.
BanksyBanksy 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.
BanksyBanksy 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.
BanksyBanksy I have a theory that you can make any sentence seem profound by writing the name of a dead philosopher at the end of it.
BanksyBanksy All graffiti is low-level dissent, but stencils have an extra history. They’ve been used to start revolutions and to stop wars
BanksyBanksy Stencils are good for two reasons; one – they’re quick; two – they annoy idiots.
BanksyBanksy It’s a very frustrated feeling you get when the only people with good photos of you work are the police department.
BanksyBanksy People either love me or they hate me, or they don’t really care.
BanksyBanksy Graffiti is only dangerous in the mind of three types of people; politicians, advertising executives and graffiti writers.
BanksyBanksy Should # graffiti be judged on the same level as modern art? Of course not: It’s way more important than that
BanksyBanksy It doesn’t take much to be a successful artist-all you need to do is dedicate your entire life to it.
BanksyBanksy When he time comes to leave, just walk away quietly and don’t make any fuss.
BanksyBanksy The holy grail is to spend less time making the picture than it takes people to look at it.
BanksyBanksy
Original quotes
From our community writers
With new relationships, we get scared of being loved because we scared of rejection. Don’t let your fears ruin a perfectly good relationship.
Emily BockEmily Bock I love having someone to talk to all night.
Sophie SmithSophie Smith It is a loud war to love you in silence.
Noor BazziNoor Bazzi Don’t let unimportant people have too much power over you.
Hei-Ran ParkHei-Ran Park Remember that your purpose is indeed to be nothing else but YOU, all that you are and all that you want to be.
ShamaShama I like the crazy ones- the ones made of a little bit of human and a lot of star.
Lauren EdenLauren Eden Let go and trust in the higher power to guide you.
Lisa RoseLisa Rose Let the music fill the empty patches of your soul. And heal you.
Makenzie CampbellMakenzie Campbell
Meet the writers
More on self
The best self promotion is your next book. And the book after that and after that.
Bella AndreBella Andre the fastest-growing brand of religion is of the magical ‘name it and claim it’ variety, in which the deity exists only to meet one’s immediate, self-identified needs.
Barbara EhrenreichBarbara Ehrenreich The special forces gave me the self-confidence to do some extraordinary things in my life. Climbing Everest then cemented my belief in myself.
Bear GryllsBear Grylls The problem is that if you’re self-conscious about being a person on whom nothing is lost, isn’t something lost – some kind of presence? You’re distracted by trying to be totally, perfectly impressionable.
Ben LernerBen Lerner I wasn’t supported, I wasn’t given any self-esteem.
Barbra StreisandBarbra Streisand The battle of yoga is with the body and with the ego. You must conquer your ego, or small self, so that you can let your soul, your big Self, be victorious.
B.K.S. IyengarB.K.S. Iyengar It is no use lying to one’s self.
Henrik IbsenHenrik Ibsen A friend once asked me what qualities were needed for SAS. I would say to be self-motivated and resilient; to be calm, yet have the ability to smile when it is grim; to be unflappable, be able to react fast and to have an ‘improvise, adapt and overcome’ mentality.
Bear GryllsBear Grylls