A very in-depth look into the person behind the artist. Intriguing and beautifully laid out.

In this day and age, it is impressive that an artist has achieved such renown while maintaining his anonymity!

Banksy is world famous and his work instantly recognisable but he chooses to remain anonymous and one of the (many) aspects of this meticulously researched and insightful book is that the author doesn’t try to delve into his personality or “unmask” him in any way, respecting his desire to stay out of the public eye. If only other critics were so respectful…Be that as it may, I found this a wonderfully illuminating and enjoyable study of Banksy’s art, an art that is often derided by art critics but much loved by the general public, not least because it is immediately relatable. Clearly and accessibly written, with a welcome absence of jargon, I found the book informative and enjoyable. The text is detailed but never ponderous and is accompanied by many well-chosen illustrations. I closed the book with a real sense of having learnt a great deal and with a deeper understanding of this most interesting and provocative of artists. Highly recommended to art lovers of all stripes – including sceptics and art critics.

A fascinating insight into the many works of Banksy, the graffiti artist. The author doesn’t dwell on the true identity of the artist, but instead focuses on the works he has created, the art critics response, the public response and where these works fit in to the art world. A really interesting book, so much more to this artist than I realised. Thank you to Carol Diehl, NetGalley and MIT Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of research the author sourced for this book about an artist known for his anonymity. She presents both sides of the discussions about "street art": the controversy over whether it is a true art form, monetization of "art in place', and the value that is placed on art at auctions. I gained a much deeper understanding of the artist, his methodology and political stance, and an even greater respect for his art. I am very grateful to have had this rare access to Banksy and to the art world in general.

Thank you to NetGalley and MIT Press for this advance review copy.

Note: Amazon only has the hardcover version available and says it has noted unusual activity reviewing activity so I am unable to leave a review there. I have posted my review to social media.

Banksy: Completed is, of course, about Banksy the provocative street artist.

The book attempts, rather well I think, to explain how art critics view art differently from the public. And critics have almost unanimously hated Banksy from the start. It also investigates the nature of art itself. Can graffiti even be viewed as art?

Overall, I enjoyed reading about Banksy’s exploits, artwork and mindset from a different perspective. It taught me things that were not in Banksy’s documentary film. Plus, it made me think about some of the underlying themes in Banksy’s work well after I had finished the book. 4 stars for Banksy: Completed!

Thanks to MIT Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

A well researched and fascinating look at the world’s most famous, yet anonymous artist. Instead of endlessly speculating on his (her?their?) identity, she focuses on the work itself, the critics who disapprove of him, and the art world’s relationship with street art. I thoroughly enjoyed her take on the layers of meaning behind the political and darkly comic pieces, her disdain for the critics who demonize the work without often even experiencing it, and a look at the complexities of monetizing public art. A really interesting read, accompanied with lots of fantastic images along the way.

I love Banksy's work, but never really thought about the person.This book details the times of Banksy the man and his career. Full of photos of his work and messages, a real insight of the person.

For over 10 years, I have followed Banky's work and truly enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed Diehl's access to the Pest Control Office to gather first hand representations for Banksy. His art is widely critiqued and Diehl has a great way of explaining why. It is not too "artsy" and is approachable to the lay critic like myself. Diehl also explained how money is to be made in the art world and it opened my eyes to whole new side of the art world. The images selected were appropriate to the section that one was reading, unlike some books that display photos in the middle of book.

Given the pandemic living era regarding Covid, it was really neat to see how Banksy could easily go about creating his guerilla style of art with a Covid theme in his home bathroom and the London subway system. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

***Thank you NetGalley for providing me with access to this e-preview. This review is based on an ARC.***

I was very intrigued by this book. I like Banksy and I think that his work is phenomenal. The book is very well written and researched. The author has done a great job of providing good stories and information about this evasive artist. By and large I really enjoyed this book and the way the author told the story of Banksy of who he is and what he stands for. A job well done, it was a great read.

This was a great little book. Anyone who has a soft spot for Banksy will love it. I only wish it told me more.

This was a great book to get lost in for a couple hours. If I was wanting to know more indepth about Banksy's work, I would have enjoyed the book even more. However, I had only a vague knowledge of Banksy art and found as an introduction this book was more than I needed. I loved all the images and the stories behind them. I did enjoy the effort put into compiling this book.

I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really interested to read this book because, like so many people, I am a fan. This book is full of great information and stories about the elusive artist and it’s a treat to hear it from this perspective. It also makes me wish I had been able to visit Dismaland and the hotel. Overall I really enjoyed the book, the way the story was told and the authors portrayal of who Banksy is and what he stands for. I always keep my eyes peeled in Toronto because you’ll never know when things will pop up.

Featuring many images, this is a fascinating work that avoids wasting time attempting to unmask what the identity (identities?) of Banksy to focus on the work, its impact, and the treatment by the art criticism establishment. There is an overview of Banksy history in a timeline of stencil graffiti artists reaching back to Blek le Rat. Explorations in detail are made of large-scope works such as the month-long New York City "residency", Dismaland, and the Walled Off Hotel. Much is based on the author's first-hand visits and inspections which is in contrast to the examples given of art critics demeaning to such Banksy projects without experiencing them. In sum, this becomes a treatise on the meaning of art and the appearance of public spaces. Is it the graffiti artist that spoils the view, or the plethora of billboards and placards?

Banksy: Completed looks to be what will be a beautiful coffee table book showcasing the works and (known) life of Banksy, the famous street artist. I appreciated the thorough list of resources for more information and the variety of artwork from the past twenty years, as well as the opposing points of view of critics, artists, and the general public reflected throughout. This is a book I can see paging through often, or displaying open on a wall shelf.

"Hardening of the categories leads to art disease." - Kenneth Snelson

Being a member of the great unwashed, it has never been a concern whether Banksy's work is or is not 'Art'. I enjoy the style and the skewering of politics and culture for the cleverness of it. Carol Diehl has shown that I didn't know the half of it. Her descriptions and explanations of a few of Banksy's works point to layers of meaning that aren't apparent at a glance. She also points to the pay-off of his style and anonymity in keeping the work relevant. Along the way Diehl offers her opinions on Artspeak, the Art Market, and critics who don't do their homework. Her writing is non-technical and insightful. I was afraid this book might be a slog and instead found a delightful and informative read.

Four stars!
When I got this book, I expected it to be a more of a "coffee-table" style book with photos of Banksy's installments and a brief discussion of each in captions. However, the author does a great job of presenting and academically discussing Banksy and his work, as well as considering the opinions of anti-Banksy art critics. As a long time fan of Banksy's art, I've just realized how little I actually knew about the artist. My only complaint, is although it was adequately illustrated as it is, I did wish for more pictures of the art being discussed. I'm grateful to Netgalley and MIT Press for the opportunity to read and review Banksy: Completed.

This was such an interesting read. What great insight it gave into the oh so famous man that most of us know so little about. His paintings are fantastic, world renowned, unmistakable and so very pointed. He shakes things up and purposely highlights issues that most of us shy away from. He is a mystery, an enigma, yet a hero. This is an unmissable exploration into his work and his motivations.

I liked the book quite a lot. Even though I found out many interesting facts about Banksy's work and the photos were interesting, the book seemed better off like a longer essay with more photos than mini-chapters without consistency. Despite the writing being all over the place, I did like the book and I probably would have bought it.
Thank you to MIT Press and Netgalley.

A great analysis and explanations of everyone’s favourite street artist. Lots of great images are looked at, many that I have not seen before.

Wow so much I didn’t know about this artist! I’ve always enjoyed or at least appreciated his work but this book took it to a whole other level. Very interesting!