Banksy in Saskatoon: A secretive street artist lands downtown

If you’ve never heard the name Banksy, you’re probably not alone — but that might be about to change.

For the next two months, the Scotia Centre in downtown Saskatoon has transformed into something completely unexpected: an immersive art exhibit dedicated to one of the world’s most mysterious and talked-about artists.

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Whether targeting war, corporate greed or mass surveillance, Banksy’s art doesn’t whisper — it shouts. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

So… who is Banksy?

Good question — and don’t feel bad if you don’t know.

Banksy is an anonymous street artist whose identity remains a secret, even after decades of his thought-provoking graffiti popping up on buildings around the world.

“It’s an anonymous guy that, since 1994, started to show up on streets with weird messages,” explained Sorina Burlacu, the producer behind The Art of Banksy: Without Limits.

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And those “weird messages”? They’re part of what makes him so famous. Banksy’s art often takes aim at politics, war, capitalism — all with a clever twist or a laugh.

Producer Sorina Burlacu hopes the exhibit sparks more than conversation: “Through Banksy, I want people to try to change this world into a better place.” (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

He’s also the guy who once shredded one of his own paintings right after it sold for over a million dollars at auction. The piece — “Girl with Balloon”, one of Banksy’s most famous images — had just been sold at Sotheby’s in London in 2018 when an alarm went off and the canvas suddenly fed itself through a hidden shredder built into the frame.

Half the painting dangled in strips, half stayed intact — and the stunt instantly became part of art history. Far from losing value, the shredded piece — now re-titled “Love is in the Bin” — is considered even more valuable, seen by many as a brilliant prank on the art market itself.

A bold move — and one considered to be genius by many in the art world. As Burlacu puts it: “It’s his genius that makes him so special… he’s the only artist in the world that destroyed his art after it was purchased.”

The question isn’t just “What does it mean?” — it’s also “What does it make you feel?” (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Big cities, big art — and now, Saskatoon

The exhibit, which has toured cities like Amsterdam and Melbourne, is now here thanks to the SaskTel Centre. CEO John Howden says it’s a big deal for our city.

“This exhibit has been in big cities all over the world, and now they’ve chosen Saskatoon,” said Howden. “I think it just speaks to our culture we have here, and people definitely just need to come down and see for themselves and immerse themselves in this event.”

“We’ve completely transformed this space,” said SaskTel Centre CEO John Howden, who helped bring Banksy’s bold vision to downtown Saskatoon. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

To pull it off, the SaskTel Centre basically turned the Scotia Centre into a giant walk-through gallery. “We’ve been blowing out walls in this mall and completely transforming pretty much the entire main floor,” he explained. “We’ve taken over seven different spots that used to be different retail outlets, and you won’t recognize it when you come in here.”

And once you’re inside? Expect surprises at every turn.

“There’s two or three rooms in here where you literally just are in awe,” said Howden. “You have to kind of soak it in for 10 minutes just to see and figure out exactly what he’s trying to say with some of the pieces.”

Projected, painted, printed or sculpted — it’s all unmistakably Banksy. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

One young art critic’s review

Eight-year-old Ruby Kolla might be the most honest art critic in town — and after walking through the exhibit, she had a lot to say about the mirrors, the graffiti and the feeling of being somewhere a little magical.

In one room — designed with mirrors on the walls and ceiling — Banksy’s art is projected and reflected everywhere you look.

“There’s mirrors everywhere,” Kolla said. “And when you look down, it would look like, if you like, broke the glass, you would just fall down and down and down until you hit the ground.”

With eyes wide and questions ready, Ruby Kolla brought fresh perspective to an exhibit built on curiosity. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Another piece that caught her eye is a themed portrait of the Queen, hanging over a Union Jack carpet — just one of many bold images Banksy is famous for.

Kolla said she sometimes sees graffiti on trains near her house — but this felt different. “This graffiti has like a story to tell about why it’s made.”

When asked if Banksy should come do some art here too, she asked back: “Wait — he doesn’t live in Saskatoon?”

Maybe not. But thanks to this exhibit, for a little while, it sure feels like he does.

From rats to royalty, Banksy’s subjects are often surprising — but always chosen with purpose. Every image tells a story beneath the surface. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Why it’s worth seeing

Even if you’ve never stepped foot in a gallery, The Art of Banksy: Without Limits might surprise you. There are more than 150 pieces — original works, photos and rooms that feel like you’ve stepped straight into one of his murals.

More than anything, producer Sorina Burlacu hopes visitors come away inspired. “When you go out, I would like people to understand most of the artworks, and to become better people — and through Banksy, to try to change this world into a better place.”

So, whether you come for the mirrors, the messages, or just to say you’ve seen a piece of art history in Saskatoon — Ruby says it best: “This graffiti is kind of good.”

For eight-year-old Ruby Kolla, Banksy’s art is more than your average graffiti. “It has like a story to tell about why it’s made.” (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)