Globally famous street artist Banksy in the spotlight at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila

“The Banksy Universe collective is a group of artists and art fans, in general, that just got together in the early 2000s,” Johnson explains. “We set out a mission to protect Banksy’s art across Europe by installing plexiglass over the artworks, protecting them from getting either damaged, vandalised, or sold.”

The exhibition, which runs until November, offers visitors an immersive experience that presents the disturbing yet poetic world of the famous—and famously anonymous—street artist. It starts by tracing the trajectory of Banksy’s art from its rebellious roots in Bristol, progressing to his iconic works in London, Los Angeles, and New York City. The exhibition offers a comprehensive view of Banksy’s impact on the street art movement, showcasing his thought-provoking pieces that address social and political issues, such as inequality, injustice, capitalism, and commercialism. Highlights include his iconic murals in the West Bank, including the Walled Off Hotel, which confronts themes of war and conflict with biting satire. Additionally, visitors will be able to explore Banksy’s collaborations with music artists, his temporary installations like Dismaland, and his ability to create engaging, conversation-starting art on a global scale. Overall, the Banksy Universe exhibition celebrates the depth and breadth of Banksy’s multifaceted creativity.

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“I was introduced to his first piece when I moved into my student-home,” Johnson recalls. There was a Banksy piece on the wall incorporating an iconic Keith Haring work. I didn’t know the artist was back then. But I just knew that I really liked it and I decided to keep it. Only to find out a year later that it’s from an artist called Banksy.”

Banksy’s irreverent, anti-establishment stencilled illustrations began appearing stealthily in public places in the late 1990s. The intrigue his anonymity has sparked and the bold statements affiliated with each of his works have always ignited the hearts of artists and advocates.

“Obviously, in getting to know like-minded people, discussing how hard [to find his works], it was all a natural progression for us as a group of individuals to get along really well and be like a family,” Johnson recalls the beginnings of his collective. “Some of the guys in the team started running around Paris protecting his art. So we would join in on that, jump on our scooters, and go around with them—knowing what we were doing but oblivious of the consequences it would be for us. Maybe we might get arrested or whatever, but just again, we wanted to preserve these pieces, which are now more or less gone.”

With Pest Control’s recent email about the inquiry on the Banksy Universe show still looming over the exhibition’s opening, Johnson clarified that the collective has a good relationship with them. “We are on the frontline of protecting the art of Banksy. Whether he gave us his consent or refusal, we just did it the same way that he did it. There is no such thing as an authorised Banksy. These are all unauthorised, whether you’re in Barcelona, Paris, even London or Bristol, where he’s from. There was one in Bangkok, Tokyo, and Seoul,” Johnson says.

Banksy Universe believes the Philippines is an Asian country where art gains much traction, hence the determination to mount the show here. The collective’s challenge was finding a museum or gallery that would support them wholeheartedly.

“The M showed a lot of appreciation in this endeavour and help towards us. Coincidentally, our objective aligns with the museum’s message, which is ‘art for all’,” Johnson says.

Johnson believes that although only some would appreciate some of Banksy’s art, it’s all art with strong messages open to everyone’s interpretation. “They are universally binding—touching the themes of conflict, LGBTQ+ rights, poverty, child slavery, calamities—which are relatable to Filipinos,” Johnson says. “As a nation, we go through our own struggles. And maybe some Filipino artists have tried to depict these messages in a satirical way but are not as well-known on a global scale as Banksy. Maybe they were being limited by greater powers, or it’s just that they don’t dare to do it,” the Banksy Universe collective’s spokesperson says.

For the collective, Banksy is an artist who encourages his fellow creatives from different countries to use their talent to peacefully advocate for what is right. “His cerebral art gets you thinking and sparks conversations, and this is why one of our many initiatives is to start education programmes about street art,” Johnson says.

Recently, an all-ages art activity was held at the M, facilitated by art educator Carmel Lim-Torres, which began with an exhibition tour and then followed by a stencil-making session. 

Street art has been a part of Filipino culture for decades now. One district that has embraced it is Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. However, when a Banksy show was about to open, the district’s art and culture entity received flak for its statement that it requires official permission for any of its murals.

The recent controversy stems from the district’s clear rules about its aesthetics, yet when juxtaposed with Banksy’s reputation, it all seemed ironic.

“If you walk around BGC, it’s full of street art, all made by local Filipino artists who seek permits to paint on these walls,” explains Johnson. “Everyone has a right to their opinion. And I encourage that we uphold our freedom of speech. I don’t have any particular opinion about these comments, but the fact that they sparked conversations and debates... is also the essence of what Banksy is. It is addressing the controversy and tackling it, getting more and more educated to find out that, at the end of the day, this may be good for society,” he says.

“My life’s work and mission is to bring to an audience who may not have the financial capacity to travel to Europe and see this art but just come here and pay a minimal ticket fee. We’re here not to make a profit but to promote the message of Banksy, educate, and help charities,” says Johnson.

Banksy Universe has formed a partnership with Childhope Philippines, a non-governmental organisation that protects and educates children in street situations. The partnership aims to give back by creating opportunities for children to express themselves through street art, just as Banksy does.

“I don’t need to prove to myself that I’m doing something good,” says Johnson. “I just feel like when we put up these projects, we always want to contribute to society, we always want to make an impact. People are so quick to jump on the capitalism part of things. There are so many things happening—inflation is going up, financial instabilities due to wars, overpricing of goods... But nobody’s saying anything about it. Nobody’s actually going out on the street and saying, ‘hey, things are too expensive’ because that would raise a situation of conflict. Instead, why don’t artists use their medium and their art to peacefully promote a message or raise awareness about a situation that the world is facing right now?”

Johnson claps back to the bashers of the exhibition and BGC’s statement by saying, “I encourage them to come here and experience for themselves the art of Banksy. Engage their thoughts and read the captions of each piece. There’s a message in there, and we really hope that people can relate to it. Hopefully, when they leave this exhibit, they will have a new vision of the world and how things really operate. This is why we wanted to bring this show to Manila; so many things here need to be addressed. And we want to spark conversations around it peacefully.”

For Banksy Universe, the artist’s messages through his works are enough to be appreciated—not his identity, which has remained anonymous for decades. “If he were to go public, he would probably get arrested,” says Johnson, keeping in mind the amount of cases filed against Banksy. “I think he should continue spreading the message of love and compassion for communities struck by conflict and other forms of persecution. Of course, there has been some curiosity about his real identity. I want to leave it up to the public to question that,” he concludes.

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