Banksy goes underground
Updated on 02 May 2008
An old tunnel under London's Waterloo Station has been taken over by Banksy for an exhibition of grafitti artists around the world.
As an art gallery it's unique. As a forum to display the work of graffiti artists from around the world, it is probably ideal. An old tunnel under London's Waterloo Station has been taken over by that most famous - if anonymous - street painter, Banksy, for an exhibition of the craft.
Deep beneath the platforms of Waterloo station something special is going on: enter the mysterious underground world of Banksy - and the famously anonomous graffitti street artist's latest idea.
The man was long gone by the time we arrived but for the last few days Banksy and a team of street artists he has flown in from around the world have been tirelessly spray painting the walls of this tunnel with their take on culture: ethics and of course politics of the day.
Banksy's works are among them - the largest collection of his stencils ever to exist in one place. He's the man noone knows - an inspiration to young street artists.
Whats normally a shortcut for taxis and pedestrians will be closed until Monday; not entirely in the spirit of street art but due to the scale the project has been formalised with the management at Waterloo who own the tunnel. They say they'll keep the art in place for up to six months depending on its "suitability".
Banksy has made a lot of money being anonomous - a small print of his work sells for around £500.
In a statement, Banksy said his aim was to create "an oasis of beautiful art in a dark forgotton filth pit".
It is "a dream come true", he says.
