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New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

#311

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's a pretty good equivalence, actually. And pretty good advice. Passionate certainty should raise a red flag.

i find that passionate certainty can be a good thing in some cases, especially when someone really does know what they are talking about. but fanaticism is more often a problem than not. fanatics tend to not really understand what they're talking about, or twist it to fit what they want it to be about. > Fanaticism: Excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild and extravagant notions, on any subject, especially re…

I see a similar idea that often gets people talking past each other re: patriotism vs. nationalism

Re: New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

#312
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why nationalism? A flag can represent more than a nation. Can be blinded by any "flag" / ideology.

The ambiguity is part of the charm. Something that reveals more about the beholders than the artist makes for stimulating conversation and discovery. Even the new positioning of the art on a plinth in some open space is enigmatic. If it were a critique of the powers that be, why would officialdom collaborate in propping it up?

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Re: New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

#313

I think it's a reasonable statue. But does anyone else think it's a bit obvious, more so than his other work? Like there is no doubt on the meaning at all, it's all right there on the surface level.

Have you seen his other works in recent years? It's hard to get any more obvious than a judge beating up someone with his gavel or a boy judo throwing Putin.

It's not like Banksy is known for being a sophisticated highfalutin MFA student anyway. Like it or not, appealing to the masses with simple and clear moral messages has always been his deal.

Re: New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

#314
post #269
post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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Not just him, but all the people in his cultural sphere. I've been to a Banksy exhibition, and it also had videos of "critics" commenting on his work. The overtone was how inspiring and brave it is to protest things like war and injustice nowadays in a western country. It's repulsive how ignorant these people are towards their own privilege, while taking the moral high ground and lecturing others. And of course there…

There’s nothing repulsive about people being opposed to war.

Re: New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

#315

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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> This is a core tenet of the Rawlsian religion, of which you are a (probably unwitting) fanatic. Ouch. How warped does one's thinking have to be to call " A theory of justice " (1971) for pluralistic, democratic societies, a "religion"? It seems to me that right-wingers love hyperbole and rhetoric, without addressing the meat of the matter. Your post is no different, being entirely free of reason. A good day to you,…

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Re: New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

#316

Things were more fun when they were actually transgressive and not just the established doctrine of those in power.

If this was the established doctrine of those in power, then why is the Iran war still going on, and why is the UK providing air bases for the Iran war? This is obviously a comment on the Iran war.

Re: New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

#317

I think it's a reasonable statue. But does anyone else think it's a bit obvious, more so than his other work? Like there is no doubt on the meaning at all, it's all right there on the surface level.

I think the sheer number of people below arguing it might not be about nationalism shows this sort of "Obvious" direct work may still be needed.

Re: New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

#319
post #91
post #10

Yeah, definetly had the city agree to it, no way in hell to sneak a statue like that without the cops getting involved.

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The 2nd level of Banksy’s pranks is how angry they make self-appointed arbiters of what is counter-culture or cringe.

Re: New statue in London, attributed to Banksy, of a suited man, blinded by a flag

#320

I wish Banksy put the statue a block away at the roundabout at the end of Pall Mall instead. The current spot he picked already has several other statues there. The roundabout at the end of Pall Mall is empty, presently rather dull, and would look much nicer with a statue. This is the better spot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6EmX2jPiaKRNtNtr8 51°30'19.0"N 0°08'16.0"W

Isn't that part of the point? To compare and contrast the current world 'leadership' with historical figures (which could go both ways).
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