Church Of England Declares War On [Payday Loans Firm] Wonga

Church of England declares war on payday loans firm (via AFP)

Church of England leader Justin Welby has told a company offering short-term high-interest loans that the church wants to "compete" it out of existence by promoting not-for-profit credit unions. Welby, who as Archbishop of Canterbury is spiritual leader…

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History of Banksy Graffiti Art [Infographic]

Street Artist Banksy is known for his Banksy wall and Banksy stencils styles. Banksy stencils is a method that he uses for some of his artwork, which is used to produce the cut design on the surface with a thin sheet of cardboard, plastic or metal with a pattern of letters cut out of it.

Despite not calling himself an artist, Banksy has been considered by some as talented in that respect; he uses his original street art form, combined with Banksy stencils style. Due to the shroud of secrecy surrounding his real identity and his subversive character; Banksy has achieved somewhat of a cult following with his Banksy Art from some of the younger age group within the stencilling community. Banksy Prints are famous all over the world, especially Banksy Los Angeles artwork.

There is always hope graffiti is perhaps the most famous graffiti Banksy, There is always hope is located in London, South Bank. Canvas version of this Banksy print was sold in 2007 for 37200$ at Sotheby's auction.

Flying balloons Girl by Banksy is located on a stretch of the Palestinian side of Israeli West Bank Barrier. While Banksy was creating this graffiti art, guns were drawn on him. However despite of all of that, Banksy went to work to create this masterpiece,.

And again, another famous Banksy print - Girl searching Soldier this time of graffiti .. Palestine, Wall of West Bank in Bethlehem, 2007. Yes, yes, it is graffiti on the wall of security in the ancient city of Bethlehem. This barrier in the form of the wall was built by Israel and the United Nations considers this building illegal. This Banksy art was used  as a promotional piece for Banksy's exhibition  in Santa's Ghetto to help draw  a large audience. 

Banksy Rat appears in many of his graffiti. Banksy symbolizes rats in his graffiti as the only truly free animals in the city. Banksy also represents himself through rats, as rats are the night creatures as  Banksy is. Not only are Banksy and the rat both creatures of the night, they are also both looked down upon by polite society. 

Monkeys are another reacquiring theme in Banksy graffiti art.  One of his most iconic stencils features a downtrodden monkey wearing a sign that reads, Laugh now, but one day well be in charge.  A commentary on Man's feeling of superiority towards his simian cousins, or, conversely, the monkey's knowledge that it is the superior race, this stencil appears in many permutations. Other monkeys in Banksy art proclaim that "lying to the police is never wrong." While this expression is typical of human rebels, it also expresses the world from a monkey's point of view. If lying to the police will keep it out of a zoo or a science experiment, a monkey should always lie to the police. Banksy Media Monkey wears headphones, operates a camera and holds an old-style clapperboard. Is Banksy commenting on the mindless nature of modern film-making or the mindless nature of those who make films, including his own films? Or is he noting that monkeys may well make better movies than those that currently invade the theaters? 

Why does Banksy favor monkeys? Perhaps it is an expression of the imitative nature of man as expressed in the aphorism "Monkey see, monkey do." After all, art imitates life and life imitates art. Graffiti artists imitate one another, either as a tribute or to mock another's work. Perhaps Banksy enjoys monkeys simply because they look so much like, yet so much more comical than, their human counterparts.

Source: History of Banksy : Art off the canvas

Related Articles

• Part One: Great Graffiti Art by Banksy 
• Spray it out loud: London's street art
• Graffiti or Art?
• 'Banksy-style' picture may not be the genuine article
• Freedom of Expression : Art as an Instrument for the benefit of Society
• Acquitted! Activist Who Faced 13 Years in Prison for Chalking Anti-Bank Slogans Gets Off Free

France Opens Probe Over Lawmaker's Hitler Remark On Roma

France opens probe over lawmaker's Hitler remark on Roma (via AFP)

French investigators said Tuesday they had opened a criminal probe into a lawmaker who was allegedly recorded saying that Hitler "did not kill enough" Roma. Interior Minister Manuel Valls had earlier called for Gilles Bourdouleix, a controversial lawmaker…

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Lebanon Panel Approves Draft Law On Domestic Violence

Lebanon panel approves draft law on domestic violence (via AFP)

A draft law protecting women from domestic violence was approved Monday by a Lebanese parliamentary panel, after years of campaigning by rights groups who welcomed the move as a step forward. The parliamentary committee's approval comes less than two…

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Nazi-Themed Cafe in Indonesia Sparks Global Outrage

We really need to start a WTF category for news like that!
For those who only read the headlines, the owner of that cafe is "a Christian who likes playing with air rifles"... I'm not sure if that really qualifies him as a good guy though.
Loup Dargent

Nazi-themed cafe in Indonesia sparks global outrage (via AFP)

From a painting hung high on a blood-red wall, Adolf Hitler peers down on young students eating schnitzel and slurping German beer in Indonesia's Nazi-themed cafe. The SoldatenKaffee ("The Soldiers' Cafe") opened its doors in the western Javanese city…

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The Many Faces of Superman [Infographic]

Superman wasn’t always the man we know and love today. In fact, he was pretty much the exact opposite of the man we know today when he first appeared in print in 1932.

Two Cleveland teens, Jerry Seigel and Joel Schuster, created their own fanzine – “Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization” – after their work was rejected by publishers. In the third issue, Seigel included his story “The Reign of the Superman” - a comic about an evil villain who disrupts society with his mental powers.

Seigel revised Superman the following year, establishing him as a hero instead of a villain. However, Seigel’s revision came before editor Whitney Ellsworth outlined a strict code of conduct for superheroes, disallowing them to commit murder. Seigel’s first hero version of Superman was much more aggressive than the man we know today.

Jewish Groups Call On EU To Overturn Polish Kosher Ban

Jewish groups call on EU to overturn Polish kosher ban (via AFP)

Europe's Jewish leaders on Thursday asked the European Union to back their call for a Polish ban on the ritual slaughter of animals for food to be overturned. Jewish community and religious leaders from across Europe also urged the EU to review its…

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Fascinating Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Judaism

If you're interested in learning more about the Jewish faith, here are eight interesting facts you can add to your memory:

European Police Raid Neo-Nazi Terrorist Suspects

European police raid far-right 'Werewolf' suspects (via AFP)

Police launched raids in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland on Wednesday against six suspected members of a far-right "Werewolf" cell modelled on late-World War II plans for a Nazi guerrilla resistance. Four suspects in the three countries, plus…

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France Arrests Norwegian Neo-Nazi Over Terror Plot Fears

France arrests Norwegian neo-Nazi over terror plot fears (via AFP)

A Norwegian neo-Nazi black metal musician and convicted killer was arrested in France on Tuesday over fears he may have been preparing a "major terrorist act", the interior ministry said. Kristian Vikernes, who the ministry said once had a link with…

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Zimmerman Acquittal Shifts Race Back To Fore In US

Zimmerman acquittal shifts race back to fore in US (via AFP)

The acquittal of Florida neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in the death of unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin has brought tough questions about racism in America back to the fore. Suspicions that the fatal February 2012 shooting of the 17…

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School That Teaches Afghan Girls To Speak For Themselves

School that teaches Afghan girls to speak for themselves (via AFP)

Dah Yaya is an Afghan village set in stony hills and steeped in traditions that limit women to second-class status in this desperately poor country ravaged by Taliban insurgency. But in a school set up by an Afghan-American woman named a 2012 top 10…

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