'john myatt shouts fake - look at my bristols'
i've always liked the work of banksy and the range of his ideas for creating incisive, thought-provoking and iconic images. his work is authentic and when i was working on the once seen theme text for this particular piece, authentic i had two trains of thought; the in/famous artist john myatt who is a british artist convicted of art forgery who, with john drewe, perpetrated what has been described as "the biggest art fraud of the 20th century". in 1999 he was convicted of conspiracy to defraud and imprisoned for four months. Since his conviction, myatt has continued to paint in the style of famous artists, selling his works as "genuine fakes". which raises the queston of authenticy - his paintings were original only copies of the original. 
banksys distinctive stenciled street art that blends social commentary with dark humor, creating thought-provoking political and social messages in public spaces around the world. his fame is amplified by his anonymity, which has created a mysterious persona, and his high-profile, often controversial, stunts, such as the artwork that self-destructed at an auction. banksy uses a signature stenciling technique to create eye-catching and often witty graffiti on public walls and buildings. social and political commentary: his work directly addresses important issues like war, capitalism, consumerism, and freedom, making his art accessible and resonant for a wide audience.
in this piece i linked the mouse signature used by art forgers and the banksy rat in many guises. using purchased stencils i over painted the original painting with enamel paint, paying hommage to his style.
 
once seen explores the interplay of text in response to a chosen word or theme, connected through a hidden perpendicular placement of related words. the intention is that the viewer has to search the text to enable them to locate the ‘hidden word’, giving that ‘ah ha’ moment; once the hidden message has been deciphered, it will always be seen, hence the phrase "once seen". the manipulation of typography flows across the surface, forming cryptic messages that reveal various facets of the selected word.