Iran’s Banksy: ’The walls in my city are the canvas for my paintings’ | World news | theguardian.com
▻http://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/2014/aug/06/iran-banksy-street-graffiti-tehran-black-hand-interview
The street artist Black Hand, known as Iran’s Banksy, has used stencilling techniques to satirise the grim dilemma – one mural depicts an auction for a kidney.
When Black Hand returned to the scene in north Tehran hours later to take a better look at the finished piece, it had already disappeared. The authorities, who view such graffiti as subversive, were quick to remove it.
In an interview with the Guardian, Black Hand said the city and its people serve as inspiration. “Life in the city is what motivates me … I have more freedom to develop ideas and perform them in this form of art.”
Under widespread state censorship, visual and conceptual art in Iran has a limited audience, confined to private galleries or intellectual gatherings. By taking the works to public walls, Black Hand hopes to break that habit.
“The public has a right to see the art. I chose street art because I want to guard against the galleries’ monopoly. Our intellectual and artistic society are underestimating and ignoring ordinary people’s power.
“I prefer my work to be seen in public by the very same people who are not taken seriously enough. I feel that the walls in my city are the canvas for my paintings. The city is the biggest gallery with the biggest audience.”
