Article

This is an original article as printed in the Guardian Weekly which is suitable for advanced comprehension classes written by Mark Brown.

Swiss embassy reveals its graffiti art treasures

Switzerland's ambassador to Britain knew his country had an image problem. There had been reports in the press that Swiss banks were still holding Nazi gold, and he wanted to do something to show his country in a positive light.

So Bruno Spinner invited young graffiti artists into the London embassy's underground car park and let them do what they wanted. They could even have a rave there a few days later, he decided.

The ambassador's rebranding exercise has an extraordinary consequence: some of the car parks graffiti kids went on to become an artist whose works command eye-popping prices, collected by the rich and famous. The works at the embassy in London are by Banksy and are worth more than $2m.

There are about ten pieces by the Bristol born artist. The works include mohican-haired Lenins and a French poodle having a dream about a nasty-looking bulldog-faced poodle. Another has Mona Lisa with a green rifle sight on her forehead, while one pillar has a threatening policeman and the words: "Laugh now, but one day we'll be in charge."

The Banksys, barring the odd scuff mark, have held up well and have remained a secret known only to the regular users of the car park.

At the time, the Swiss embassy described the graffiti event as "part of a series of events organised at the beginning of the century aimed to engage with the next generation fo people and artists who will largely shape and determine the future".

The plan was to whitewash the walls but the embassy was pleased with the results and decided to keep the graffiti.

Switzerland's current ambassador, Alexis Lautenberg, said: "I was somewhat surprised when I drove in. The Swiss embassy obviously has many layers. This should be source of inspiration."

Banksy has managed to keep his anonymity throughout a career which has seen his fan base widen and prices of his works rocket. In 2006 a stencil of a green Mona Lisa sold for $113, 000. This year a stencil of a monkey called Laughing Now sold for $456,000.

He also has many celebrity fans. Angelina Jolie paid $400,000 for a Banksy and other stars such as Jude Law and Keanu Reeves have been reported as buyers.

Glossary

striking

(adjective) unusual or interesting enough to attract attention

stencil

(noun) a design or picture painted onto a surface using a sheet of card or metal out of which the design has been cut (adjective: stencilled)

to commission something

(verb) to officially ask someone to make something

rave

(noun)a big party often held in unusual places where people dance

Questions

The questions below are divided into three groups - before, during and after reading the above article.

Before reading

Look at the photo, which shows an example of graffiti art. Discuss the questions below with a partner. Check words in bold with the glossary.

1. What is graffiti art?
2. Are there any examples of graffiti art in your town or city?
3. Can you remember a striking piece of graffiti art? Describe it to your partner.
4. How much would a famous piece of stencilled graffiti art sell for?

Look at the headline, photo and caption. Guess the correct answers to the questions below. Then quickly read the first four paragraphs of the article to check your ideas.

1. Where is the graffiti art picture of Lenin?
   1. In an underground station next to the Swiss embassy in London.
   2. In the cellar of the Swiss embassy in Central London
   3. In the underground car park of London's Swiss embassy
2. Why is the graffiti art in this place?
   1. It was commissioned by the Swiss embassy to improve its image.
   2. It was put there by graffiti artists who wanted to protest against the Swiss embassy.
   3. It was painted there by teenagers who secretly used the place for a rave every week.

While reading

Read the first four paragraphs again. Use the words below to complete the following questions, then find the answers. How many, How much, What, Why

1. ___ did Switzerland have an image problem?
2. ___ two things were the graffiti artists allowed to do in the car park?
3. ___ is the graffiti now so special?
4. ___ are the Banksy pieces worth?
5. ___ Banksy works are in the car park?
6. ___ is the political message behind the "threatening policeman" picture?

Read the rest of the article from paragraph five onwards. (See a video tour of the Swiss embassy car park. Look at the possible paragraph titles below and write the correct paragraph number next to it. There are two extra titles that are not needed.

1. The graffiti is here to stay
2. An artist who stays in the shadows
3. Trouble with the law
4. A surprise for the new ambassador
5. In demand from the rich and famous
6. Artists of the future
7. The real man behind Banksy
8. A secret drive-in art gallery

After reading

Collocation Without looking back at the text complete the collocations in the paragraph summary below. The first letter of each word has been given

Referencing Look at the words in bold in the sentences below. Which word(s) do they refer back to in the text? Paragraph numbers are given in parentheses.

1. ... he wanted to do something to show his country in a positive light. (1)
2. They could even have a rave there a few days later, he decided. (2)
3. There are about 10 pieces by the Bristol-born artist. (4)
4. Another has Mona Lisa with a green rifle sight ... (4)
5. The Banksys, barring the odd scuff mark, have held up well ... (5)

Why are references like these important in a text?

Activity - Discussion

Read the statements below about graffiti art. Decide if you agree [A] or disagree [D] with them. Then discuss your answers in small groups.

1. Graffiti art is often more thought-provoking than traditional art.
2. Most graffiti artists are not talented; they make towns and cities look a mess.
3. Graffiti artists are irresponsible; they paint on other people's property.
4. Graffiti art is more interesting and original because it is not done for money.
5. In the future, people will look back at Banksy and see that he was one of the most important artists of his generation.