#StealBanksyNY Site Promotes Theft, Artistic Freedom, Awkward Hashtags

By Jordan Teicher 

Stealbanksyny.com does not exactly have a ring to it, but the new site created by two NYC digital ad folks – Derek Evan Harms & Damjan Pita of Razorfish and AKQA, respectively by day – is an interesting bit of content to check out as Banksy’s unofficial October art tour comes to an end. Users can find a map of New York that shows where FREE Banksy art is all over the city. Each FREE bubble links to an image of the art. People have already stolen some of the work, whether it be traffic cones, car doors, or wall art. On the site, in big block letters reads the rallying cry, “Better Ours Than Theirs.” Underneath that in a bright orange rectangle is, “Get it before the MOMA gets it!” And then, of course, is the famous Picasso quotation that has been mimicked by everyone from Quentin Tarantino to Steve Jobs: “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” At least there’s no ambivalence.

Banksy has encouraged people to shake things up instead of simply following the rules. And stealing – or borrowing with no plans of returning – his street art is the perfect way to honor the man’s words. Besides, MOMA already has enough art.

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