'Banksy: Genius or Vandal' Explores the Work of the Reclusive Artist

 

The boys -- and in particular, Nathan -- have been intrigued with the idea of mysterious street artist Banksy since we first visited Park City (where some of Bansky's work can still be found). And then, of course, they loved the mischievous act of destroying a copy of "Girl with Balloon" via remote-control shredder at a Sotheby's auction. So when I saw this touring exhibit would be in L.A., I decided to splurge and see what it was all about. Here's how the exhibit is described: "Banksy: Genius or Vandal is a one-of-a-kind exhibition in Los Angeles. Jump into the world of the celebrated master of the streets with over 80 genuine and certified artworks from private collections, and view street art like never before. It is brought to you by the organizers of a collection of widely successful exhibitions present in cities across Europe, Asia and the Americas." For what it's worth, I do feel I learned a lot more about Banksy, and in particular his political activism. And the kids now are even more intrigued by Banksy's dystopian take on a theme park, Dismaland. Below, more pics from our visit:

Our Halloween Costume: Banksy and the Red Balloon Girl

At Penske Media Corp., Halloween is a big deal. The company's annual Halloween party, held downtown at the Edison, is perhaps its largest event of the year. And it's strongly suggested you show up in costume. Last year, Maria and I attended as the PricewaterhouseCooper accountants who screwed up the Oscars. This year, continuing with the "ripped from the headlines" idea, we went as the infamous shredded Banksy artwork. I was Banksy, along with a few fake shredded paintings, and Maria was the girl with the red balloon. Happy Halloween!