During the last decade or so, the now-infamous graffiti artist "Banksy" has tagged walls, streets, even livestock, all around the world. The West Bank holds an important space in this global map of resistance. In addition to being beautiful and thought-provoking ways of saying "fuck you", Banksy's graffiti in Bethlehem has also become a tourist attraction. While documenting the graffiti on the security wall I was approached by numerous cabdrivers and asked, "You like the graffiti? Do you want to see Banksy? I'll take to you Banksy (student price!)". I was even pegged as an admirer of graffiti while at the Church of the Nativity when a cabdriver was trying to coerce me to go (anywhere?) with him. "You do not want to see Shepard's field? Well, what about the Banksy? You would love Banksy, come on, I'll take you there."
(the scissors is a Banksy piece. I don't know who did the hand- but I like it)
I had seen a few Banksy pieces during my brief trip to Bethlehem in 2008, although at the time I was not familiar with his work. The picture above is from December, 2008, and the photo below is from May 2010. I might like the latter picture better. Emerging from behind a pile of rubble, the figures seem more natural, more integrated into the urban space.
The next two photos show change as well- the first photo is mine, and the photo below it is an image of the original work. The graffito's impact has changed over time, but it is still striking. Perhaps more so when you realize that the wall of blue bricks overlays a window into a paradise of sorts....
(photo credit: worldpress online)
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