Logan Connolly

Rage Against
Humanity has faced many hardships throughout the modern era, and many argue that corruption in society, politics, and government have spearheaded the increase in these hardships. They have been derived from war, famine, disease, and many other tragedies in which the general population has blamed the people who run the country, business, etc. With the world going to hell, brave people riot and take a stance on issues while cowards accept it, but who is right in this situation. Banksy posted a picture of a man who is rioting against an unknown force by throwing a bouquet of flowers. His artwork is considered as graffiti to the police and is posted with ease by use of layers of stencils. His work can be found predominately in the United Kingdom, but also all around the world. This piece of art is posted on an urban building like much of his work. He does this to broaden his audience in urban areas where many can see, interpret, and analyze his message. The setting of this particular piece is related to the subject matter because most riots occur in well populated areas. The building it is posted on is also run down, therefore, it creates a setting that relates to the lower class who tends to riot against those who either live very comfortably or who manipulate the impoverished class for personal benefit. The picture is only black and white, which implicates simplicity on an artistic stand point, but the message it portrays is complex, nonetheless. Banksy uses black to cover the mans shirt hiding any sort of logo or message that could individualize him and his cause. This creates a universal characterization of the man that could be associated

with any individual for a specific causation to riot. The darkness of the man illuminates the white bouquet of flowers creating a significant contrast in order to exemplify its irony. Banksys picture gestures a realistic approach to his art. He is not attempting to portray an idealized message in this piece, but instead reveals the apparent reality that highlights rioting and protest. Since Banksy, more often than not, chooses modern and very real issues to poke fun at or enlighten people of, it only makes sense that he makes this man lifelike. Only on a composition stand point could one interpret this art piece as realistic because of its true to nature forms and shapes. As for the man who is throwing a bouquet of flowers, one tends to reduce this to absurdity immediately, thus creating the gaping contradiction of this piece. Since Banksys art is considered as graffiti to law enforcement, it is essential that he uses stencils for quickness, but at the same time for an effective method to accurately depict his art. With the use of stencils Banksy cannot specifically use different brushstrokes in order portray his message, however, he makes use of location in this art piece. The rioter is pasted on an all white building that cooperates with the natural effects of color and contrast, and it also has a rough surface to it adding a more violent feel to the man and the action taking place. Despite the elements of art being describe for this individual art piece, one must step away and interpret what this painting is really saying and to whom. The key element to analyzing the piece is by finding the reason for the usage of flowers. The flowers could be humorous showing the ineffectiveness of rioting by throwing little flowers at the enemy, or that the flowers, although extremely fragile, are a symbol of power derived

from a certain belief or truth that is behind any sort of protest. The meaning of this piece is very subtle, and can only be interpreted by those who see it because Banksy has remained anonymous in society that no one even knows what he looks like, nor what his reasons were for making this piece. At first glance it captures your attention just because of the pure contradiction that is involved with it, but as you begin to analyze it becomes delicately more complex. This particular piece of art by Banksy creates different interpretations by different audiences. This picture appeals predominately to the lower and middle class who feel they have been cheated by the ones in charge, such as the government or their labor hungry bosses. This picture would give these people an initiative to riot and protest because of the feeling that they are doing right by protesting, and the only thing they have to use is flowers. In this case, the flowers would symbolize a power similar to the strength of love that would be able to clear the heads of the people in charge and even transform them into seeing the objective truth. The other point of view that could derive from this picture is from an audience who lives very comfortably and who does not feel the need to protest, or the object of the protest itself, whether it is a government official, head of a business, or any sort of corrupt leader. They could either respond to this post as lawbreaking graffiti that needs to be removed immediately due to the fear that it could influence people into a riot or protest. Otherwise, they may just see it as humorous, and in that case they would interpret the meaning as the uselessness of rioting in the fact that the man is throwing flowers that could not possibly hurt someone.

The man is looking off into the distance at where he is going to throw his flowers. He has completely wound up and it looks like he is going to launch the bouquet across town, but then one realizes that they are just flowers, and if this rioter were real, they would go maybe ten feet. The man is looking at the object that is opposing the protest with pure hatred and rage, therefore, no option to talk things out is available. Banksy enforces that notion by covering the rioters mouth prohibiting him from speaking and only allowing him to fight. My judgment is that Banksy created this piece to encourage riots and protest not downplay it with humor. Through Banksys choice of setting, artistic strategies, and imperative gestures, he creates an ambiance perfect for a riot take place. The flowers are meant to show power, life, and growth rather than weakness and fragility. Banksy would not portray protest as an ineffective method because his work in itself is considered a source of protest against society. The general population tends to see the protestor as a man of courage rather than an enemy of society. This image displays rioting as a less harmful tactic because instead of throwing empty bottles of liquor or bricks he is using flowers. With the use of flowers, it makes rioting out to be less dangerous and more productive in its cry for justice. It would be ignorant of Banksy to portray this protestor as an ineffective source of change for the fact that men and women have protested all throughout the modern era, and have conquered great feats that once had oppressed them.