street art - The Art of the Prank

March 16, 2026March 16, 2026

Curses on the Rats Who Exposed Banksy

May your dick look just like Trump’s

Guerrilla artist Banksy finally unmasked — along with the remarkable way he hid in plain sight, by Stuart A. Thompson and Anthony Blair, New York Post, March 15, 2026

The infamous graffiti artist known as Banksy has finally been unmasked — after changing his name to something so generic, he could hide in plain sight..

The notorious guerrilla street artist, whose polarizing works have sold for millions of dollars, was identified as Robin Gunningham, 51, from the English city of Bristol, in a detailed investigation by Reuters on Friday.

The report found that Gunningham changed his name to David Jones — one of the most common British male names — in 2008 to avoid identification. Read the whole article here.

More Banksy coverage here.

May 4, 2025May 4, 2025

Art & Place Conference Keynote, May 2, 2025

I thought I was getting on a flight to Germany to deliver my keynote at the
Art & Place conference in Saarbrücken.

Instead, I wound up giving it via Zoom—from a prison cell.

Not literally, of course. But I dressed for the part. A fitting backdrop for a talk on creative dissent.

Guerrilla theater, unsanctioned public art, protests in disguise—these are the tools I’ve used to question authority and reclaim public space. Sometimes with humor. Sometimes with a bullhorn. Always with intent.

While my prison cell was symbolic, the consequences of challenging power are very real. So, this was a reminder: dissent isn’t just a right. It’s a necessity. And we need to protect the freedom to speak out—especially when it’s uncomfortable.

Thanks to the organizers for inviting me. And to everyone still raising hell where it matters.

April 15, 2025February 16, 2026

Joey Skaggs to Present at Art & Place, Saarbrüchen Germany 2025

Bridging the Gap Between Street Art and Contemporary Art

Joey Skaggs will deliver the keynote address, “Ephemeral Interventions: Public Space as a Canvas for Art and Activism,” at the Art & Place Conference in Saarbrücken, Germany on May 2, 2025. The conference will also be hosting the German premiere of Andrea Marini’s Art of the Prank documentary on May 1, 2025, which celebrates Skaggs’ six-decade career.

March 18, 2025March 18, 2025

A Message From Hell

Is he looking for unsatisfied voters? Here’s another entry in the long tradition of unsanctioned sign art.

Why are those ‘We buy souls’ posters all over LA?, by Paula Mejía, SFGate, February 15, 2025, h/t Richard Johnson.

The signs have become a ubiquitous sight on telephone poles across town

There’s hardly an inch of real estate, private or public, that isn’t occupied by advertisements in Los Angeles. You’ve got massive freeway billboards that crowd the sky, painted murals hawking dating apps and digital ads designed to catch your peripheral vision. It also happens on the street level, with bright signs plastered on telephone poles to hopefully attract drivers, pedestrians and bikers.

Yet amid the familiar blocky posters advertising concerts, offers to buy up junk cars, hair braiding and tattoo expos, another type of telephone pole advertising has become ubiquitous around LA for its sheer weirdness. The nondescript white sign features chunky red letters spelling out a cryptic and tantalizing message: “WE BUY SOULS!” A phone number accompanies the message, should interested parties want to call and learn more.

Read the whole article here.

March 18, 2025March 18, 2025

Creative Places to Get Run Over

Don’t dilly-dally in the crosswalk!

North Adams seeks artists to transform city crosswalks into public art, by John Budenas, WWLP, March 17, 2025.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. (WWLP) – The city of North Adams is calling on local artists to bring creativity to the streets.

A new public initiative will transform eight downtown crosswalks into vibrant works of art and aims to continue beautifying the city while enhancing the downtown experience for both residents and visitors.