What do I see when looking at this image…
This photo of a rat with a sign saying ‘Because I’m Worthless’ graffiti on a wall by Banksy struck my attention because of how little it says but how impactful it can be. It seems that most images I saw had little to no words but instantly when looking at them brought so many different ideas and meaning of what the image was trying to communicate. When artist produce their artworks they aim to communicate a message they feel very strongly about and to their targeted audience. For instance, Banksy’s is very famous for his controversial pieces of art as they cause a public attraction that is both positive and negative. Even though most of his works are in Bristol, England they are seen all over the world causing them to be interpreted differently by everyone who sees them.
For his art piece of “Because I’m Worthless” shows strong political issues that relate to nearly all over the world. Showing a rat holding a paint brush with the words “Because I’m Worthless”, I think this represents the attitude the world has to people who have lower paying jobs. As the rat is commonly known is “unlucky”, “vermin” and “dirty” which in Banksy’s eyes is how these people are seen today. By the rat holding a paint brush, it further continues this idea as a house painter is a lower paying job comparing him to higher paying jobs that are seen as more respected. The more I look at the photo the more I realise how Banksy is trying to show that the higher paying jobs are the only jobs people really care about and acknowledge such as actors, lawyers, doctors and political positions, when lower paying jobs such as plumber, construction worker, nurse and painter are the jobs people are most reliant on, on everyday occasions.
Banksy’s work are all very influential to his viewers cause as they aren’t the easiest to read in the first initial glance, they get the viewers to stop and think about what exactly he is trying the say cause he is known for having very important messages connected to his works. He forces them to think outside the box and use their own personal experiences to decode what they think the artwork is trying to communicate. As art was one of my major subject while completing the HSC I have always being attracted to works of art that have a complex meaning behind them and using my own knowledge to decode them myself.
– Liza
Anon., 2018. Myartbroker. [Online]
Available at: https://www.myartbroker.com/artist/banksy/because-im-worthless-placard-rat/
[Accessed 16 March 2018].
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