Banksy's blockbuster Glasgow exhibition draws record crowds - and the artist wants fans to decide where he should travel next. In 10 weeks, the exhibition received 180 thousand visitors.
Banksy may not have had a licensed solo exhibition in 14 years, but in fact it seemed to fuel a desire to visit the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), which set attendance records for the institution with 180,000 visitors during sample.
Titled “Banksy: Cut and Run”, the exhibition imposed a strict no-photography rule – all cell phones had to be kept in locked bags, at the request of the anonymous British street artist. But that apparently didn't dampen the enthusiasm of museumgoers, who included actor Johnny Depp and Pulp's Jarvis Cocker, according to the Scottish Herald.
“'Cut and Run' welcomed a new and diverse audience, from primary school students to octogenarians, from all walks of society and corners of the globe,” GoMA director Gareth James said in a statement, as reported by the “Independent ”, noting that the institution had to implement night hours to meet public demand. “Every day we open our doors to queues of hundreds of people waiting for immediate tickets.”
It was the first time that the museum charged paid entry for an exhibition. The show, which presented an in-depth retrospective of Banksy's 25-year career, included a replica of the artist's workspace, a huge selection of his stencils and all the behind-the-scenes details on how he managed to destroy "Love is in the Bin". infamously sold itself after being bid for $1.3 million at Sotheby's in London.
If you missed the exhibition in Glasgow, it looks like you may still have another chance, as Banksy has updated the exhibition's official website to solicit ideas on where to show it next.
“We want to take this exhibition on the road, but we have no idea where to go next. You?" asks the site.
The artist is encouraging people to email exhibition tour suggestions to venues@cutandrun.co.uk, preferably with a specific venue or location in mind - not just a country or city - as well as photographs.
The program, however, does not confirm any details about Banksy's identity, which has sparked numerous theories over the years. Last month, a recording of a 2005 episode of NPR's All Things Considered resurfaced, which featured an alleged interview with the artist, who is believed to have been born in Bristol, England, around 1974.
Source: Artnet News