Banksy - Art or garbage?

It's funny. In a world where anyone would do anything just for personal celebrity someone still tries to hide. And it's much more funny cause the guy is famous. The more he wants to hide the more he gets known!

Banksy. That's the name. Or better that's the nick. He is an artist. If it's acceptable to call artist someone who paints (also) the city walls. Not so much is know about his identity. But it's sure that his pieces of art are part of Sotheby's Auction. At ever increasing sale prices. Maybe that's not enough to call him artist. But his work is strongly discussed. Not only for its quality. That could be liked or not. No. What does really propeller the discussion is that it's still not clear if Banksy is a silly vandal or something more.

To some extent he reminds me Keith Haring. Haring did started to satisfy his artistic needs in the NYC underground. Painting with white graffiti the black paper sheet used for covering "expired" ads. The ones who did "steal" those curious drawings have now a treasure in their hands.

Banksy too operates in the urban habitat. The wall is his canvass. Graffiti are his art. Using the stencil he has decorated the ghetto walls of some of the less nice British towns. He has left his mark all around the world. What makes Banksy different from other Graffiti makers is the message within his artwork. Never light. Always stimulating. He loves to provoke people. He is a rebel. A very self-marketing oriented rebel. Yes, he gives for free his artwork to towns and people but he also has a very active net created to sell it. But this is not something bad.

Once again I cannot tell if Banksy could be considered an artist or not. Probably yes. He paint for the people. He makes the people talk about his work. But he makes them smile too. For sure he makes the people think. And to do so (with any means) is one of the first target of each artist.

Roberto Totti - Made in Italy

Made in Italy, it's something really important. In fashion Made in Italy does add some value to any product. Also to the ones not yet made in Italy; maybe designed in Italy or assembled in Italy. Talking about engines and speed Made in Italy is strictly related to Ferrari. But not only. Many knows that a small region of Italy, Emilia Romagna, is crowded by great craftsmen working hard on their impossible ideas to reach higher targets. About new engines. About new bikes. About races. About the art of customizing.

Made in Italy is also the title of a special book that will be released next Christmas. It's a really important book. A photo book. For those who love bikes. But not only. Really important for those who love art. Two wheels art. The book is a collection of pictures that witnesses the last 30 years of the work of one of the greatest bike customizer ever. The name's Totti. Roberto Totti. And he was Made i Italy too. He is a real genius born some decades ago around Bologna, that magic part of Italy fully devoted to engines, bikes and cars. A part of Italy well populated by craftsmen who can shape steel & iron giving a tangible consistency to their mad ideas.

Roberto Totti is a one & only kind of man. He is shy. It's not so easy to reach him. It's not easy at all to have a bike built by himself. It's not a problem of money. You need more. Much more. It's only a matter of passion. You must be really passionate about bikes if you want him to work on your project. Doesn't matter what kind of project. The only way to have a special bike by Totti is to have a lot of passion. He has built specials worth more than 100.000 EUR (take a look at the almost impossible Pregnant Duck). But he has worked with much more low budget too (up to 1.000 EUR).

If you want to have a bite of his art just take a look at his own web site. If you want some more be sure to have a copy of his limited edition book. You will have the chance to see some of his masterpieces. If you want to know more about his passion take a look at his DVD about the Salt Lake Bonneville experience. But this is another story...