The Story about the project: ” You are not Banksy “
“Nick Stern is a fucking genius, Nick Stern is a genius with what he has done with his recreations of Banksy’s art he truly has given the work a totally alternative life! ” Courtney Love Cobain
I was shooting an actor friend in Los Angeles, we wanted to shoot him looking like an anarchist so I shot him wearing a hoodie, it was around the time of the riot in London, my home town – summer 2011. I thought it would be interesting to shoot a group of people looking like rioters but throwing flowers, recreating Banksy’s iconic image.
I’ve loved Banksy’s work and decided that instead of just the rioter that I would recreate a number of his famous works. I have an obsession with detail so the most time consuming part is sourcing the costumes and props to ensure the images match as close to Banksy’s images as possible. Where things aren’t available I make them. The Machine gun the small boy is holding should be a Vietnam era M60 gun. I couldn’t get hold of one (for a reasonable price) so I modified a different replica gun, using garden sprinkler tube for the barrels and all kinds of electrical and plumbing fittings. Along with 60 Crayola Crayons!
They can be quiet complex to shoot, especially the ones with two or more people. Not only do you have to get the posses correct but you have to get the relationship between the models correct, and as you change one thing another thing alters. To actually shoot them each image takes about 2 -3 hours. But I spend weeks getting everything ready before hand. I like to keep the recreation accurate but also in the spirit of Banksy’s work
Nick Stern is an internationally acclaimed News and features photographer whose career has taken him to over 40 countries. He has contributed to a wide range of publications throughout the world including daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, books, advertising campaigns and television productions. Nick has traveled on assignments throughout Europe, Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia and the USA, covering subjects including people trafficking, child prostitution, natural disasters, immigration, and civil unrest. He has also photographed many of the leading names in the entertainment industry. In 2000 he founded First News Ltd., An independent agency with a strong background in investigation assignments. Nick has appeared on many TV and radio features including The BBC, Sky TV, ITN, ABC, CBS. and CNN. Each year Nick mentors new talent, on technical, journalistic and business areas. If you would like to find out more about being mentored please email Nick. Nick is a member of the Chartered Institute of Journalists, National Press Photographers Association and the British Press Photographers Association.
