Camila Giraldo
Missing
Class of: 2022
Major: Communication Design BFA
Medium: Three-dimensional plaster monument
Faculty: Shari Mendelson
Prompt: For this project, we had to create a plaster "mini monument" commemorating or exalting an artist or someone that we admire and that has made an impact in our life.
I created a monument on the street artist Banksy. I thought it would be interesting to find a way of creating a monument on someone inconspicuous.
What inspired me to make a monument for him is my admiration for the way he creates work with a strong and effective social purpose, but giving the same importance to the look and aesthetic of the piece. He’s a genius at mocking society and confronting controversial topics in a very elegant way. This assignment was announced soon after the Sotheby’s controversy with Banksy’s self-destructing image.
This piece aims to show the powerful impact of this “invisible” artist. Even though he’s unknown, his art allows him to speak out. I wanted to convey a similar sensation of seeing his work on the street: “Bansky was here, and he left a mark.” The footstep represents this mark. The spray paint can is a literal representation of his graffitis, the only visible thing he leaves of himself.