It’s being reported today that London-based guerrilla artist Banksy has struck once again. In a highly imaginative coup he swapped 500 copies of Paris Hilton’s new album with ‘doctored’ versions of the CD. These altered CDs were then slipped back into record shops across the UK. They still contained the original bar code, so customers bought the Banksy versions without knowing. Genius.
These Banksy versions of the album have new tracks, supposedly just breakbeats with Hilton samples over the top – her repeatedly saying ‘that’s hot’ – a phrase she uses on one of her mindless TV slots. The titles of the tracks have also been changed from the original running order and the CD now contain such gems as ‘Why Am I Famous?’ and ‘What Have I Done?’ As well as the remixing the CD sleeve was also altered and the front cover changed to show a topless Hilton, while other ‘messages’ were inserted into the booklet such as ‘90% of success is just showing up.’ The image behind the CD itself shows Hilton with a dog’s head.
For people who aren’t familiar with the work of Banksy, his website is well worth a look. Is it art? It is in my book. In my opinion art should make you think and Banksy's work certainly makes you do that.
'Withus Oragainstus.'
For fellow Londoners or anyone interested in seeing more of his work there is also a Flickr group that documents all the instances of Banksy street art in the city.
I've seen a few pieces round here where I live, but my favourite story is how a sign on the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens that gained one of Banksy’s rats was pinched and sold for an extortionate amount of money online. It’s a good job most of his work is found on solid walls or someone would no doubt nab them too. So what next? Are buildings with his graffiti on the side going to be sold for a fortune because they have become a piece of art?
This is what I love most about Banksy, the fact that unlike a lot of so-called contemporary artists he really seems to be blurring the boundaries between what is art and what isn’t. Oh, and there's also the fact that he shakes up the world a little every now and then, and boy do we need that.
Anyway, bringing this post back down to earth, I guess it’s only a matter of time before these Paris Hilton CDs turn up on Ebay!
5th Sept update: They’re on Ebay already. See here and here.
