Claire Zimmerman: Banksy, you sneaky graffiti artist.

Banksy is a very well known street artist who is known for making controversial and thought provoking pieces of art. He doesn't want to just spray paint cuss words on a wall: he wants to make a statement with every piece of art. This month, Banksy said that he was going to do a different piece of art every day during his stay in New York, whether it be graffiti, a sculpture, or something completely different. A few days ago, Banksy had some man, probably a friend of his, sell original signed pieces of his in Central Park. Nobody who bought the pieces said that they recognized that they were Banksy originals. Banksy said he wanted to see what would happen if he didn't put a price tag or a name on his work. It clearly had very interesting results.

Banksy's art is very different than most street artists. I am a huge fan of his work, and I have followed him for a while. He doesn't do this just for the sake of breaking the law: no, it's much more than that. He wants to leave his mark on the world. This is the same man who painted this image on the Israeli-Palestinian wall.

This image sparked loads of controversy. He could have been arrested, or possibly killed, for putting this up on the wall. But he didn't do it just because he thought it was funny or ironic: he wanted to put his beliefs up for viewing. He goes beyond what other artists do. He's not afraid to take risks. And yes, he's a criminal, but he's a criminal with a purpose, and a goal. And I respect anyone who can stick to their beliefs, even if it had tremendous consequences. 

Banksy always likes to try new things. Like with what he did in this article: it was an experiment with him. He wants to see how far things will go before they go to the edge. And so far, I would have to say he has not reached that edge just yet. He might one day, when his identity is revealed, but not today. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24518315