Join us for an engaging and insightful session by Ray Warburton in The Arts Society at Firstsite (TASAF) Lecture series!

The Arts Society at Firstsite is an organisation about connecting people who have a passion for art.

TASAF is part of a global network of local societies, which bring people together through shared curiosity for the arts. You can learn more about it here. 

We offer a series of 10 talks* from accredited lecturers based around the UK. Lectures take place throughout the year from September to June on the third Tuesday of each month. 

Find out more about TASAF here.

Session Program 

Banksy: The A to Z of a Street Artist (Lecture by Ray Warburton)

Banksy is British, out of Bristol, and emerged in the 1990s with a stencil-based approach to street art. His work pops up in the most surprising places. Most memorable are large rodents, chimpanzees, girls with balloons and flower-throwing freedom fighters.

Some see Banksy as a prankster but with increasingly serious cultural or socio-political points to make. The picture that shredded itself at Sotheby’s in 2018 is a good example.

His installations and graffiti on or near the West Bank Wall, and in Ukraine, are another. Surprisingly, Banksy remains, anonymous to the general public, despite his popularity. The lecture will trace the course of his career and describe his major artworks, as well as commenting on his identity.

Mind you, giving lectures on Banksy can be challenging, as a new piece of graffiti, or an installation, may pop up just before, or even on, the day of the lecture. Every attempt will be made to include these new pieces in the lecture! 

About the Lecturer

Ray Warburton has been an accredited lecturer with The Arts Society since 2017. He currently lectures on a wide range of subjects from Joseph Wright of Derby to Banksy. Ray is also a guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern.

In 2017, he was awarded an MA in the History of Art from the University of Buckingham. He is a member of the Art Society of Blackheath. At the end of his full-time career in health and social care, Ray was awarded an OBE in 2012.

Visit the Firstsite Cafe before or after TASAF Lecture Series session! 

Our cafés offer a wide selection of delicious snacks, cakes and light meals, along with hot and cold drinks which can be purchased to enjoy.

Find out more about our menus here 

*This price is the set fee paid by all members irrespective of the date they join the society.