Bambi is the pseudonym of a contemporary British street artist. She works focuses on contemporary female identity and its relationship to patriarchal culture. She also highlights political and social injustice. "Bambi" is derived from the childhood family nickname "Bambino" and is a popular artist within the showbusiness world. Collectors of her work include Rihanna, Brad Pitt, Adele, Robbie Williams, and Take That's Mark Owen. Bambi’s stencilled work is described as gritty and masculine in appearance while exploring themes of feminism, and popular and street culture.
Works
Bambi is recognised for her stencilled graffiti and has created various works across London. Bambi first gained attention for her 2011 piece 'Amy Jade' a tribute to the late singer Amy Winehouse in Camden and "Diamonds A Girls Best Friend' depicting a young Queen Elizabeth II as the Queen of Diamonds, as featured in Time Magazine in 2012. In February 2017 Bambi stencilled a mural called "Lie Lie Land" on the wall of the Cross Street Gallery at the corner of 40 Cross St and Shillingford St, Islington, featuring former British Prime Minister Theresa May and American President Donald Trump in the dance pose from the poster of the movie La La Land. The work became a tourist attraction until it was painted over by new owners in January 2018. In her first Italian solo show, Bambi exhibited during the 57th Venice Biennale. Bambi revealed a waterfront piece 'The Pope Gives Us Hope' featuring the Pope reaching out to a polar bear in a capsizing boat; the work is designed to reflect the Pope’s comments in late 2016 on climate change and his call to end environmental destruction. A long-term environmentalist, Bambi was further inspired after watching the issue-driven documentary Before the Flood by Leonardo DiCaprio and Fisher Stevens. The work can be seen at Ospizio Foscolo Santa Lucia in Fondamenta Sant’Anna 993/a, Castello 30122. On 31 August 2017, on the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's death, Bambi unveiled 'Be As Naughty As You Want'. The piece presents Diana as Disney’s Mary Poppins, being carried into the sky by her magical flying umbrella, watched by Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The work is at the entrance to Neal's Yard, off Monmouth Street in Covent Garden, London. In September 2019, around the date of the Global Climate Change protests, a Bambi street art picture appeared on the side of a residential building in Belsize Place, NW3, London. The piece presents an ape holding a placard saying "SAVE OUR HOMOSAPIENS, David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg holding a placard saying "SKOLSTREJK FÖR KLIMATET".
Personal life
Bambi's identity is a well-guarded secret with the artist withholding much information about her personal life. In a 2014 Daily Mail interview Bambi said she studied at the City & Guilds of London Art School in Kennington, South London before gaining an MA from St Martin’s School of Art.
History
In 2010, the vandalism of a popular Bambi stencil in Primrose Hill reignited the long-running London debate over the preservation of street art and resulted in Islington councilors proposing a community committee be established to rule on the future protection of street art. In early 2011, Bambi commemorated the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton with the satirical slogan 'A Bit Like Marmite' across their chests. In 2014 artnet news named Bambi as one of their Top 20 Art World Women of 2014. The list included artist Marina Abramovic and singer Beyoncé.
Controversy
In 2014 Bambi produced five shark murals for an Islington pop-up gallery in a building site. Estimated to have been worth over £20,000, the murals were stolen overnight by thieves who climbed over a wall and broke into the redevelopment area. The stolen pieces were going to be sold at auction for the charity Art Against Knives before the robbery took place.
