“Reserved for Banksy #LEX56”

Graffiti mural on Lexington and Classon Avenues in Brooklyn

Imagine Banksy arrives one night and takes up the invitation to use the space on Lexington Avenue to paint one of his works. Just like that!

The irony is that an act of anarchism will overnight become a very lucrative enterprise. Who will claim to own that piece of plywood?

Is it the contractor who bought the plywood and erected on the construction site? Perhaps the owner of the property who gave permission to paint over his construction fence? Or the performer that organizes an annual street festival showcasing bands on that part of the block and uses the plywood wall as a backdrop to his stage?

The fourth aspirant is probably Alex Gruss, the artist that created the graffiti mural. “Reserved for Banksy” is my social commentary on the phenomenon of turning art into a commodity, explains Mr. Gruss

Last but not least is Mr. Banksy himself. Is his name a trademark? Can he claim ownership to this piece of art?

What do you think? Have you stopped by the mural and instagramed yourself in front of the "Reserved for Banksy" ?

Let’s hope Banksy never shows up, we don’t want to put a price tag on creativity.