Latest news with #Banksy
Time of India
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Mystery artist Banksy leaves a lighthouse and a clue in Marseille, but what's he really saying?
Mystery artist turns Marseille wall into mesmerising masterpiece A plain beige wall tucked away on a quiet street in Marseille has been transformed into a viral sensation, thanks to the elusive British street artist Banksy. In a rare social media post on Friday, the anonymous artist claimed credit for a striking new mural near the city's old port, depicting a simple white lighthouse and the cryptic words, "I want to be what you saw in me. " The location — 1 Rue Félix Frégier in Marseille's 7th arrondissement, is already attracting flocks of curious tourists and devoted art fans. Many arrived within hours of Banksy's Instagram post, guided by GPS coordinates included in the caption. But the mural's magic doesn't stop at its poetic phrase. A street post standing in front of the wall creates an optical illusion, casting a shadow that aligns perfectly with the beam of the painted lighthouse, making it appear as if the lighthouse is glowing in real time. 'What you saw in me' While Banksy hasn't explained the meaning behind the emotionally charged phrase, fans online are speculating it's a lyric from "Softy," a 2001 ballad by American country group Lonestar. Others see it as a quiet reflection on perception, self-worth, or lost love, a departure from Banksy's usual political punch. Unlike his often subversive or politically loaded murals, this piece seems rooted in something more personal and poetic. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo It is not believed to be a political message, though some are calling it one of his most moving works in recent years. From street to spotlight The surprise appearance of the mural comes just two weeks before a major Banksy retrospective opens in nearby Toulon on June 14. The Museum of Art will showcase 80 of his works, including rare pieces and fan favourites. Another Banksy exhibition opened on Saturday in Montpellier. Previous Banksy murals have been either cut from walls, vandalised, or sold off by property owners hoping to cash in on the artist's global fame. Despite his secrecy and refusal to be photographed or interviewed, Banksy has become a multi-million-dollar phenomenon since breaking out in the late 1990s. His blend of stencilled simplicity, emotional subtext, and timely commentary continues to resonate across generations. Marseille's newest landmark? Whether it's a love letter or a lighthouse metaphor for hope, Banksy's Marseille mural is already becoming a landmark of its own. By midday Friday, the hashtag #BanksyMarseille was trending across France and beyond, with some fans making pilgrimage-style visits just to snap a photo before it's too late. As one local said while standing in front of the mural, "It's beautiful — but it feels like it could vanish at any moment. That's Banksy."
BBC News
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
West of England headlines: New Banksy art and football club sale
Here's our weekly round up of stories from across local websites in the West of have a daily round up as well. Make sure you look out for it on the website and the local section of the BBC News app. What have been the big stories in the West this week? The news that a majority stake in Yeovil Town FC has been sold to Dubai-based entrepreneur Prabhu Srinivasan, with a major investment in the club promised, was reported by ITV West Country. Somerset Live reported on Wednesday that four police officers had been attacked after disorder in Midsomer Norton - reportedly during a gathering of 200 school-leavers. Avon and Somerset Police said its officers were "pushed, punched, and spat at" by "a small number of people" there.A nurse in Wiltshire has been struck off the register after filming people through a cubicle wall in Asda, Bristol Live reported. He was convicted of voyeurism and making an indecent image of a child and given a suspended sentence last story of an 80-year-old man who still works in the family newsagents he was born above in 1945 was widely shared from Somerset Live. Colin Morris, the grandson of the founder of GW Hurley Newsagents on Burnham-on-Sea High Street, told the paper he still regularly works 13-hour shifts. Bristol 24/7 reports that Banksy had shared a new work in an unknown location - though internet sleuths have raised the possibility it could be in the French city of Marseille. The work shows a lighthouse on the side of a building, with the words "I want to be what you saw in me" over the top. Top five local stories for the BBC in the West Something longer to read The Bristol Cable published its latest investigation on Thursday. It found homes owned by a landlord banned by Bristol City Council from letting properties are being rented by the council as emergency accommodation for homeless people. Explore more with our daily roundups
Korea Herald
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Banksy unveils street shadow art
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — The lighthouse appeared overnight. Painted on a wall tucked away in a quiet Marseille street, its beam aligned perfectly with the real-life shadow of a metal post on the pavement. At its center, stenciled in crisp white, are the words: 'I want to be what you saw in me.' Banksy had struck again. The elusive British street artist confirmed the work by posting two images on his official Instagram account b without caption or coordinates. Fans quickly identified the location as 1 Rue Felix Fregier, in the Catalans district of Marseille's 7th arrondissement, near the sea. Since then, crowds have gathered at the site. Tourists snap photos. Children point. Locals who usually walk past the building stop to take a closer look. There is no official explanation for the phrase. But its emotional pull is unmistakable -- a quiet plea for recognition, love or redemption. Some speculate it references a country ballad by Lonestar. Others call it a love letter. Or a lament. Or both. The image is deceptively simple: a lone lighthouse, dark and weathered, casting a stark white beam. But what gives it power is the way it plays with light -- the real and the painted, the seen and the imagined. The post in front of the wall becomes part of the piece. Reality becomes the frame. Marseille's mayor, Benoit Payan, was quick to react online. 'Marseille x Banksy,' he wrote, adding a flame emoji. By midday, the hashtag #BanksyMarseille was trending across France, and beyond. Though often political, Banksy's art is just as often personal, exploring themes of loss, longing and identity. In recent years, his works have appeared on war-ravaged buildings in Ukraine, in support of migrants crossing the Mediterranean and on walls condemning capitalism, Brexit, and police brutality. The artist, who has never confirmed his full identity, began his career spray-painting buildings in Bristol, England, and has become one of the world's best-known artists. His mischievous and often satirical images include two male police officers kissing, armed riot police with yellow smiley faces and a chimpanzee with a sign bearing the words, 'Laugh now, but one day I'll be in charge.' His work has sold for millions of dollars at auction, and past murals on outdoor sites have often been stolen or removed by building owners soon after going up. In December 2023, after Banksy stenciled military drones on a stop sign in south London, a man was photographed taking down the sign with bolt cutters. Police later arrested two men on suspicion of theft and criminal damage. In March 2024, an environmentally themed work on a wall beside a tree in north London was splashed with paint, covered with plastic sheeting and fenced off within days of being created. Despite the fame — or infamy — at least in Marseille, not everyone walking past noticed it. Some didn't even know who Banksy was, according to the local press. On Instagram observers say this Marseille piece feels quieter. More interior. And yet, it is no less global. The work arrives just ahead of a major Banksy retrospective opening June 14 at the Museum of Art in nearby Toulon featuring 80 works, including rare originals. Another exhibit opens Saturday in Montpellier. But the Marseille mural wasn't meant for a museum. It lives in the street, exposed to weather, footsteps and time. As of Friday evening, no barriers had been erected. No glass shield installed. Just a shadow, a beam and a message that's already circling the world.
Express Tribune
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Banksy in Marseille
The anonymous artist has sold his artworks for millions of pounds since 2000s. PHOTO: File A new mural depicting a lighthouse by world-famous street artist Banksy has appeared on a wall in the southern French city of Marseille, with AFP confirming its location on Friday. The anonymous artist known as Banksy revealed the new work on Instagram on Thursday but its location had not been disclosed. The words "I want to be what you saw in me" are stencilled in English across the black lighthouse set against a beige stucco wall. The mural is on a quiet street near the Catalans beach not far from the city centre, according to an AFP correspondent. The lighthouse's painted shadow connects to one of the street bollards lining the sidewalk. Banksy — whose identity has not been publicly revealed — has crossed the globe for decades painting clandestine murals in public spaces, including in the occupied West Bank, London and Los Angeles. "It's fascinating that Banksy chose a city like Marseille, which has so much art, foreigners and life," said Esteban Roldan, a 42-year-old carpenter who came to see the artwork. "This is huge, Banksy in Marseille," added another local, Virginie Foucault. She said she was having lunch nearby. "I thought to myself, 'I'm not going to find it in Les Catalans,' and then, by chance — I never go there — there it is. We love it, we love it!" Banksy is best known for hard-hitting murals, often using a distinctive stencilling style, that frequently pop up on buildings and walls. In recent years, he has kept the attention of the contemporary art world with his social commentaries and causes — migrants, opposition to Brexit, denunciation of Islamist radicals - while still stirring the excitement of the moneyed art markets. The artist boasts an A-list client lineup and has sold his works for tens of millions of pounds at auction since the early 2000s. afp
New York Post
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Banksy mural appears in France with cryptic message
The lighthouse appeared overnight. Painted on a wall tucked away in a quiet Marseille street, its beam aligned perfectly with the real-life shadow of a metal post on the pavement. At its center, stenciled in crisp white, are the words: 'I want to be what you saw in me.' Banksy had struck again. On Friday, the elusive British street artist confirmed the work by posting two images on his official Instagram account, without a caption or coordinates. Fans quickly identified the location as 1 Rue Félix Frégier, in the Catalans district of Marseille's 7th arrondissement, near the sea. 5 Painted on a wall tucked away in a quiet Marseille street, its beam aligned perfectly with the real-life shadow of a metal post on the pavement. AFP via Getty Images Since then, crowds have gathered at the site. Tourists snap photos. Children point. Locals who usually walk past the building stop to take a closer look. There is no official explanation for the phrase. But its emotional pull is unmistakable — a quiet plea for recognition, love, or redemption. Some speculate it references a country ballad by Lonestar. Others call it a love letter. Or a lament. Or both. The image is deceptively simple: a lone lighthouse, dark and weathered, casting a stark white beam. But what gives it power is the way it plays with light — the real and the painted, the seen and the imagined. The post in front of the wall becomes part of the piece. Reality becomes the frame. Marseille's mayor, Benoît Payan, was quick to react online. 'Marseille x Banksy,' he wrote, adding a flame emoji. By midday, the hashtag #BanksyMarseille was trending across France and beyond. 5 The image is deceptively simple: a lone lighthouse, dark and weathered, casting a stark white beam. Getty Images Though often political, Banksy's art is just as often personal, exploring themes of loss, longing, and identity. In recent years, his works have appeared on war-ravaged buildings in Ukraine, in support of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, and on walls condemning capitalism, Brexit, and police brutality. The artist, who has never confirmed his full identity, began his career spray-painting buildings in Bristol, England, and has become one of the world's best-known artists. His mischievous and often satirical images include two male police officers kissing, armed riot police with yellow smiley faces, and a chimpanzee with a sign bearing the words, 'Laugh now, but one day I'll be in charge.' 5 A man makes a selfie by an artwork by street artist Banksy, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Marseille, southern France. AP His work has sold for millions of dollars at auction, and past murals on outdoor sites have often been stolen or removed by building owners soon after going up. In December 2023, after Banksy stenciled military drones on a stop sign in south London, a man was photographed taking down the sign with bolt cutters. Police later arrested two men on suspicion of theft and criminal damage. In March 2024, an environmentally themed work on a wall beside a tree in north London was splashed with paint, covered with plastic sheeting, and fenced off within days of being created. 5 On Instagram, observers say this Marseille piece feels quieter. More interior. AP Despite the fame—or infamy, at least in Marseille, not everyone walking past noticed it. Some didn't even know who Banksy was, according to the local press. On Instagram, observers say this Marseille piece feels quieter. More interior. And yet, it is no less global. The work arrives just ahead of a major Banksy retrospective opening June 14 at the Museum of Art in nearby Toulon, featuring 80 works, including rare originals. 5 The work arrives just ahead of a major Banksy retrospective opening June 14 at the Museum of Art in nearby Toulon, featuring 80 works, including rare originals. Another exhibit opens Saturday in Montpellier. But the Marseille mural wasn't meant for a museum. It lives in the street, exposed to weather, footsteps, and time. As of Friday evening, no barriers had been erected. No glass shield installed. Just a shadow, a beam, and a message that's already circling the world.
