Billyvoo
The Banksy at Detroit's abandoned Packard Plant before its removal.
An exhibition of art that’s not supported by the original artist, with no set date, at a secret venue? Great — sign us right up on the "hell no, hard pass" list. And no, we aren’t joking or making this up. An exhibit called "The Art of Banksy" is coming to Detroit, with no date or venue announced so far.
It’s also being produced by the same people responsible for the "Immersive Van Gogh" projection mapping exhibit that got pushed back at least three times before a venue was even announced.
The new exhibition is being touted as “the world’s largest collection of privately-owned Banksy art.” It features a touring collection of prints, sculptures, canvases, screenprints, and limited-edition pieces by the influential yet mysterious artist or artist collective. This includes iconic works like “Girl and Balloon,” “Flower Thrower,” and “Rude Copper,” but it isn’t clear if Banksy's Detroit mural “I Remember When All This Was Trees” is part of the show.
More than 100 pieces of artwork make up the traveling exhibit, which is upfront about the fact that it is not authorized by Banksy. It’s merely a private collection of Banksy art.
That’s not entirely weird by itself, but the website announcing the Detroit date had our bullshit meters going off the charts.
“Banksy Exhibit will be the premier launch experience in our SECRET venue in the heart of Detroit,” the website reads. “To be announced before the exhibit opens, existing ticket holders will receive an email with the venue name and location once it is made public.”
We feel like we’ve heard this before. It sounds (and looks) eerily close to the debacle that was and still is the "Immersive Van Gogh" exhibit in Detroit. You know, the one that was originally planned for 2021, got rescheduled for February 2022, and now is supposedly set to open May 12.
Well, turns out "The Art of Banksy" is being produced by the same company responsible for the "Immersive Van Gogh" shitshow — Starvox Exhibits. Starvox Exhibits was founded by Corey Ross, who emailed Detroit "Immersive Van Gogh" ticketholders about the latest delay several days before the event was supposed to take place.
People are still pissed about that, questioning whether the exhibit will actually happen or if it’s all been some elaborate scam. We’re honestly shocked the company would even attempt to host another exhibit in Detroit given their track record and the negative backlash. While the venue for the Van Gogh exhibit was finally announced in February — Lighthouse ArtSpace Detroit, formerly known as the Harmonie Club Building — it was a bit too late for many who were already fed up and requested refunds.
Similar to the Van Gogh show, “The Art of Banksy” has been successfully held in other cities like San Francisco and Boston, with plans to move to Denver on April 14. Why can’t they seem to get it right in Detroit, then? We aren’t sure, but we’re not feeling like taking the chance on this one. If they fooled you the first time, shame on them. If they fool you this time, that’s on you.
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