MASON STORM - ACHOO (BANKSY)

MASON STORM - ACHOO (BANKSY)

Achoo by Mason Storm, 2021

From a sold-out series of mini-prints based on the artist's originals from his Theft from Above show with Stowe Gallery.

11.8 x 8.2 Inches

Screen print on 315gsm Innova Soft White fine art paper.

Deadstock.

Hand-signed on reverse in pencil with gallery stamp.

Theft From Above: a homage, a poking of the Hornets nest, an honest exploration of authorship and inspiration or outright daylight robbery? Given Masons past history with urban arts other man of mystery, the similarities and motifs in this new body of work are less than subtle. Indeed they are glaringly obvious and are bound to illicit howls of derision and cries of rip off and opportunist.

This latest collection is in some ways an exploration of the art world itself, like the Emperors new clothes. Art is what the art elite tell people it is. Thirty years ago galleries and dealers would have had a Banksy piece buffed over if it appeared on a wall outside their gallery and called the police if they saw some urchin lurking with a spray can in hand, and now, well, now, theyd step over their dying Granny to get at one of his pieces and I find that amusing. The work is now hailed as important and new labels such as sloganist have been invented to enable the addition of a zero or two to the price tag. Im sure Banksy is laughing his socks off, and good luck to him!"

As an artist whose work is generally highly precise, highly technical and time consuming, I got to wondering if maybe Im trying too hard? So Ive created this body of work with that in mind, and to be fair, it was still time consuming, but as for technically challenging, it wasnt. I know the Banksy purists will be apoplectic and thats great. Art should illicit emotion, even if its lets kill Mason.

Matisse was a master at what he did and Picasso was a master at what he did; still didnt stop Picasso nicking ideas off Matisse. His white dove had its egg hatching birth in Matisses studio. Banksy is without doubt the undefeatable master at what he does. And me? Im (with all modesty) a master at what I do, so nicking his ideas can only make them better right?.

Its hard to tell if Mason is courting controversy for the sake of it, but either way, there is no doubting his commitment to what he does. If hes going to annoy a whole section of the art community, hell do it with great enthusiasm and flair, and maybe that in itself is partly where his art exists; the artist as provocateur, holding a mirror up to the art world itself.Whatever his motivation, Theft From Above (and you can take from that title what you will) has all the hallmarks of a little piece of Urban art history in the making. Its Masons world and we are all just happy to be living in it.