A couple of months ago (before COVID 19 rudely interrupted our lives) I went to see the movie "Banksy & The Rise of Outlaw Art". It was such a fascinating movie on the art-form of Graffiti, which you can't discuss without the incredible Banksy being a defining part. I walked away so intrigued and inspired by all the processes and the hype as well as the explosiveness of spray paint, the simplicity of hand-cut stencils on cardboard, and the strength behind the message.
Now, I'm not about to take on illegal walls and start going crazy with the "victimless crime" (Banksy) of graffiti, but I did buy some wood boards (to represent the Banksy walls that were stolen from the streets and attempted to be sold), dusted off my black spray paint and got to work on my version of this very expressive art form. I drew and hand-cut the dove stencils, i tried to leave them a bit gritty and raw.
My message in these paintings is subtle and simple, as a country, we have stood in solidarity and unity and have tackled the COVID 19 pandemic with a "we" mentality. It has been a peaceful and considered walk through the storm all be it challenging for many, but I believe we really have been living in the lucky country and that we have to look towards "Unity" and "Silver Linings".