Graffiti artist Banksy, who recently began a month-long unofficial residency painting the streets of New York, has suggested he may abandon art galleries.
"I started painting on the street because it was the only venue that would give me a show," the British artist told the Village Voice.
"Now I have to keep painting on the street to prove to myself it wasn't a cynical plan," he said.
"Commercial success is a mark of failure for a graffiti artist."
"We're not supposed to be embraced in that way."
In a rare interview with the New York publication conducted via email, the self-styled guerilla artist - whose identity remains a secret - appears to regret his commercial success, which has seen celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie paying millions of dollars for his artwork.
"Obviously people need to get paid - otherwise you'd only get vandalism made by part-timers and trust-fund kids," said Banksy, who is believed to be former public schoolboy Robin Gunningham.
"But it's complicated, it feels like as soon as you profit from an image you've put on the street, it magically transforms that piece into advertising."
"When graffiti isn't criminal, it loses most of its innocence."
'Pointless'
The premise of his new project is to create a new piece of art on the streets of New York, for each day in October.
Entitled Better Out Than In, the public art show promised "elaborate graffiti, large scale street sculpture, video installations and substandard performance art".
"I know street art can feel increasingly like the marketing wing of an art career, so I wanted to make some art without the price tag attached."
"There is no gallery show or book or film. It's pointless," he said. "Which hopefully means something."
