Banksy has blitz on Gaza mixing art with politics

I WAS struck over the weekend by a story about British guerrilla artist Banksy who snuck over to Gaza in his usual undercover style to daub on some of the few remaining walls there.

Six months after Israel's ferocious bombardment of that civilian community, Gaza is not making the news anymore, but the grandmaster of graffiti is trying to nudge it into the headlines.

A cute, over-sized kitten plays with a ball of ... not wool, but mangled wreckage seemingly sucked up from the surrounding devastation and painted on what is left of a wall.

Banksy, the brilliant, whimsical artist, has even posted a mini-documentary on his website.

The story made me flashback to the Eleanor Catton hoo-ha in New Zealand - another artist entering the political debate, offering an opinion of affairs of state. And getting slapped down for her trouble.

Go back further, and there's Bob Dylan and others of the 1960s musical revolution being told to stick to pop songs and stay out of world events.

The politicians, power-brokers and warmongers will always seek to undermine the opinions that run contrary to their narrative, and when those opinions come from someone in the arts or showbusiness it is easy to be dismissive.

But consider this ... Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the United States trying to stall what might be termed a detente, even peaceful negotiation, between the US and Iran, while Roger Hearn, regional director for Save The Children, this week bemoaned the Israeli blockade which was stopping the rebuilding of Gaza and leaving thousands upon thousands of families living in ruins. "Don't follow leaders," Dylan advised.