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You Are Not Banksy: Street Art Turns Real-Life

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT

You may know of Banksy, a British street artist of unknown identity. Based mostly in England, where he has gained much fame and infamy, Banksy specialises in darkly comic satire, both social and political, which he presents through pieces of graffiti crafted with a technique involving spray paint and stensils. His work, which has appeared on brick walls and the sides of bridges, as well as in his very own public exhibitions, is often deeply subversive and highly comical: a piece depicting a pair of canoodling policemen and another displaying a flower-lobbing hooligan are among his most famous works.

If you enjoy Banksy’s work (if not, seek help), then you may be interested in British photographer Nick Stern’s new series, entitled “You Are Not Banksy.” The project sees Stern meticulously recreating a handful of Banksy’s masterpieces using real-life models and photographing their mimicking poses. The results are extraordinary. Stern himself is a fan of the elusive guerilla street artist: "I have always admired Banksy – I love his cheek and humour,” said the London-born photographer. "Much of art is a recreation or interpretation of real life, but this is the other way round – I wanted real life to recreate art. I hope he likes what I’ve done."

Below is Stern’s series, along with Banksy’s iconic originals for comparison.