Banksy. The name of one of the most polarizing figures in the art world today. Over the past two decades he has become famous for his politically and satirically charged street art. Banksy travels the world gracing walls with his, often controversial, artworks. The catch is he does so under a veil of secrecy, to take the attention away from himself, the artist, and apply it directly to the focus of his street art. He is extremely popular in the street art world for his rebellious works regarding everything from government surveillance to gay rights. His goal remains to create social commentaries on subjects of conflict across the globe. His portfolio includes murals, sculptures and exhibitions covering subjects such as animal treatment, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and poverty. Though serious topics, Banksy frequently uses some level of comedic irony to make his works more memorable and iconic, such as adding childlike innocence or using what already exists on the walls he paints as part of his creations.
In May of 2010, Banksy created a work entitled NO TRESPASSING in the Mission District of San Francisco, California. The artwork is a stencil created using black, white and sepia spray paint on a brown wall directly adjacent to the street, where all can see it. It depicts a Native American man sitting cross-legged on the sidewalk beneath a bright red sign — installed on the wall by the building’s owner, not the artist — that reads “NO TRESPASSING.” He’s wearing a traditional Native outfit with a feather headdress and a quiver of arrows. It appears as though the man is holding a sign in protest. Although he appears in protest, he looks somber and relaxed, as though he can do nothing but hold his sign and gaze at the horizon.
NO TRESPASSING could have many socially relevant meanings, yet the history of Native Americans in the United States, and the upheaval of American Indians from their homeland, is the immediate reaction to the piece. The man is clearly Native American, and though he could be depicted in any fashion, he has been made to look as though he is from centuries in the past. It’s well known that Native Americans were pushed from their homes to make room for European emigrants to North America from the 1600s to the present. The NO TRESPASSING sign is clearly a statement on how Native peoples never accepted foreign invaders taking over the vast lands they once ruled. His facial expression, on the other hand, conveys that he is content — as though there is nothing left he can do but sit and publicly disagree. In many ways, this was the reality of the colonization of the Americas.
Although Banksy’s creation is clearly targeting the treatment of Native Americans, it could also point to the larger issue of immigration in current politics. There has been ongoing debate over whether the country benefits from allowing citizens of foreign countries to seek a better life here. NO TRESPASSING does not comment on this directly but could be seen as showing how the US has, throughout history, had a troubled relationship with immigration. Banksy clearly wants viewers of this mural to recall the past and ensure that mistakes are not repeated.
NO TRESPASSING by Banksy is a very powerful piece, touching on subjects ranging from the treatment of Native Americans in postcolonial society to the current state of immigration policy. The work, like nearly all of Banksy’s, is displayed on a wall in a large city for anyone to view — a reminder that this art is created for the world to see. He wants people to see it, and he wants to create a discussion. San Francisco is also a culturally significant location, with many ties to both Native Americans and immigrants, where this type of art could have the greatest effect on the beholder.