Artist pulls off stunt inspired by Banksy

Local artist Tharanga Ramanayake says charging fees to see street art is wrong.

Back in 2003, the street artist Banksy snuck into the Tate Britain, the prestigious modern art museum in London, and famously hung up one of his own pieces of art.

Fifteen years later, Tharanga Ramanayake pulled off the same stunt to criticize a new exhibit in Toronto featuring Banksy’s work. On Sunday, the local artist paid the $35 admission ticket to The Art of Banksy exhibition on Sterling Rd., just south of Bloor St. W. He scoped out possible locations, and then three days later, put up his own artwork.

“I created this piece that essentially had artwork on the wall. But then it had a street in it, and a barricade, to stay closed, and on top of it, a sign that says: Admission $35,” Ramanayake told the Star in an interview.

“It’s essentially to make the point that street art is really free, and charging admission prices to street art is wrong.”

Ramanayake’s 5x7 work, entitled “Free-For-All,” had a plaque that read, “Theft is bringing street art inside and then charging an admission fee.” Ramanayake’s art used a sketch of Trolley Hunters, a Banksy work that was stolen last month before the exhibit opened to the public. The print is a satirical image of Neanderthal-ish men hunting a shopping cart. It’s said to be the artist’s critique on corporate food production, valued at $45,000. Ramanayake’s work was hanging next to Banky’s print of Rage, the Flower Thrower, for a few minutes, before another exhibit-goer saw it and alerted building security. The art was given back to Ramanayake.

Danielle Iversen, a spokesperson for the exhibition, clarified in a statement that the art is not street art, but is privately owned.

No charges have been laid against Ramanayake, and organizers don’t plan on barring him from the exhibition.