Art for the taking: An unofficial Banksy exhibition arrives in Perth, but will you be able to take it all in?

It’s ironic that the current Banksy art exhibition that’s been making its way across Australia is subtitled ‘Without Limits’. For a street artist (his exact identity is still not revealed to the public) whose works have dotted the globe – often created in hard-to-reach places – pulling together a whole lot of them and putting them in a gallery space does indeed pose certain limitations. But that’s what a certain team has managed to do, albeit unofficially – which is a feat in itself, really.

You can’t, after all, move an entire mural from Berlin or London, then ship it off to city after city at a whim.

Indeed, some of Banksy’s more famous works – such as Flower Thrower and Napalm are featured in the ‘Without Limits’ exhibition, albeit in simulated, reconstructed form; some framed, others reproduced mural-size.

Napalm.

But there are some originals among the 200-plus pieces we’ve been treated to at the current exhibit on in Northbridge, Perth. The pieces were likely held onto by Banksys former official art dealer, Steve Lazarides, the man behind this exhibit, who is now publicly profiting from selling the artist’s legacy (despite Banksy’s supposed rejection of commercialism). Many see his role as a betrayal of the very values Banksy built his reputation on. Only time will tell what the consequences to Lazarides will be. For now, though, he’s done a pretty good job getting all the good images in the one place, but… it seems the exhibition’s curators have had their work cut out for them – that is, if the non-purpose tilt on some of the hung works and the quickly-tacked-on plaques beside each is any indication of excess busy-ness.

To me, even though Banksy draws from street art technique, and though he is an artist who challenges convention, some of the traditional gallery rules ought to have applied to this exhibition – even in its pop-up format. There’s no excuse for shoddy showcasing, especially when an artist is this big (and respected) in stature.

Trolley Hunters.

I did manage to have a quick chat with one of the curators, whose name escapes me, and he told me that he was having fun “leaving bits out” from exhibit to exhibit, as though he himself were an enfant terrible of the art world and not just a proverbial shop-keeper (to quote Eddie from Ab Fab).

Banksy is probably the most famous graffiti artist in the world. While those in the art and music industries have a hunch who he might actually be (go down the Massive Attack rabbit hole online, if you dare), even we’re not absolutely certain. But that’s what street art – and in particular, graffiti – is about. Getting the word out there but not giving away too much to get caught (spraypainting and stencilling on public property is indeed still illegal).

Flower Thrower.

If there is one thing the ‘Without Limits’ exhibit displays true to its name, it’s the immense variety of media in which Banksy’s art is presented: traditional paint on canvas, modern sculpture, mural works, installation, diaspora, and televisual media are all in the mix. One section I particularly liked is the disco room of sorts, dubbed ‘The Infinity Room’. Mirrored wall to wall and on ceiling and floor, you enter a space where modern messaging is projected and then re-projected endlessly so that you sense you are lost in a perpetual state of hyperspace – kind of like what it feels after scrolling through social media for an hour, but prettier in aesthetic.

Among the many works in the exhibition are the artist’s most famous pieces, including the aforementioned Flower Thrower, Girl With Balloon, Queen Ziggy, and of course that dastardly rat (in countless permutations).

There are also some gems that I’d never seen, such as his ‘Toxic Mary’ which veers away from the usual, rawer borrowings and stencillings to reveal an appreciation of a more Byzantine aesthetic, and a gorgeous piece simply titled UFO.

Toxic Mary.

Whether you’re a street art aficionado or someone wanting to see some pretty cool artworks, you should see this vast exhibition while it’s on these last weeks. Perth is its last touring stop in Australia, so this will be your last chance to view it all on these shores.

UFO.

As the exhibition is pretty expansive, you might not take it all in, in one go. I myself intend to go back again to see what I may have missed. And of course, you cannot go see a Banksy exhibit without exiting through the gift shop which, in this case, stocks so many great souvenirs, I’m going to need a lorry truck to help bring them home with me.

Antonino Tati

‘The Art of Banksy: Without Limits’ exhibition is on at Northbridge Centre, 30 Beaufort Street, Perth. Tickets are available at artofbanksyau.com.

This article was updated on June 5, 2025.

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