Nine new works by Banksy in nine days
Over the course of nine days, a series of nine new Banksy pieces have sprung up across London. This menagerie of new works began with a precariously balanced goat in Kew Green on the 5th of August. On the 6th of August two elephants appeared in Chelsea reaching for each other's trunks, followed by a trio of swinging monkeys on a railway bridge on Brick Lane on the 7th of August. Banksy’s fourth creation was a single howling wolf painted on a moon-like satellite dish installed on the roof of an empty shop in Peckham. The wolf was stolen by masked men just hours after its existence was made public. This isn’t the first time the artist's work has attracted thieves in the London district, in 2023 Banksy painted three military drones on a stop sign in Peckham, and the work was cut down less than an hour after it was confirmed as being Banksy.
On the 9th of August, a pair of playful Pelicans arrived above a chip shop in Walthamstow. The owners of Bonners Fish Bar were more than happy to host the artist's work and said “@banksy on the side of our shop! Thank you for choosing us, and Walthamstow to showcase your talent.” on Instagram.
A stretching panther appeared on a disused billboard in Cricklewood on the 10th of August and was taken down shortly afterward amid boos from the crowd. Police on the scene stated that the billboard had been scheduled for demolition before the work's creation.
On the 11th of August a Police box in central London was turned into an aquarium for piranhas, the work was in situ for several days before being moved to Guildhall Yard, with the police stating that a permanent home would be found for the piece in due course.
On the 12th of August, a rhino mounting a Nissan Micra emerged in Charlton, attracting widespread attention for its salacious punnery. The object of the rhino's desires has since been moved but the rhino remains in place for art lovers to enjoy, despite being tagged by an unknown person.
The pièce de résistance arrived in the form of a life-sized gorilla helping the animals to escape on the 13th of August at London Zoo in Camden. The gorilla represents a crucial puzzle piece in this series of works and explains the animals appearing around London—the culprit for the great escape and a clever pinnacle to the series.
There has been global coverage of the new series of Banksy works, but many people are speculating that they have greater meaning behind them.
What do they mean?
Banksy is the master of metaphors and symbols which are universally recognised, his work speaks to people without words connecting with the political and social flashpoints in our society. Banksy is well known for his satirical commentary within his work. This is clear in works such as ‘Applause’ 2006 which is a biting critique of the media-driven approval of the way Western leaders engage in conflicts overseas.
Speculation around the nine new works in London has been rife, what is the story behind the work? Is there a deeper meaning to be found within the images? Is the balancing goat a metaphor for society standing on the tipping point of change? Do the three monkeys represent, the ‘wise monkeys’ of the well-known proverb, ‘see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil’?
Many felt the works could be referencing incarceration or even the ecological themes which have previously been present in Banksy’s pieces. Banksy has previously helped Greenpeace with campaigns and even thrown cardboard signs into the ape enclosures at Longleat and Melbourne Zoo, so it isn’t an unreasonable conclusion to draw.
What we do know for sure is that Banksy has yet again cemented himself as the master of urban theater. London has been buzzing with talk of the new works, as well as the incredible coverage in the press. Yet again Banksy shows us that he is still the most relevant street artist working today, and judging by the reception he has received will remain so for the foreseeable future.
So is there any meaning to Banksy’s work?
Reinvigorating old masterpieces
With Banksy there is always more than meets the eye, a good example of this in his new works is the piranhas, a ghoulish shoal that was number seven in the series and was created on a Police box in central London. Something about this particular installment has slightly menacing undertones. A comment on policing perhaps? But it’s my theory that Banksy is doing more than just creating a slightly fiendish aquarium for viewers to dive into.
Banksy is well known for reinvigorating old masterpieces imbuing them with fresh perspective and meaning. This is something we see often in Banksy’s artwork, from ‘Toxic Mary’ 2003 a print a reimagining of Elisabetta Sirani’s, ‘Nursing Madonna’, 1663 in which Banksy reimagines the infant drinking from a bottle of poison, to Banksy’s ‘Crude Oil, Jerry’ 2003 a slightly caustic retake of John Constable’s, ‘The Hay Wain’, 1821 in which Banksy points us towards the flaws in Constable’s creations depicting a world within them which even in the time of Constable had already disappeared beneath industrialisation.
Creation number seven, The Piranha Police box has the feel of another famous work, one which 30 years ago was a famous talking point, a shark swimming in an eternal sea of formaldehyde, by the infamous Damien Hirst. This incredible piece by Hirst, titled ‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living’, 1991 has lost much of its shock factor and resonance as new artists and concepts have come into the market. Banksy’s reinvention however not only re-ignites this somewhat forgotten piece but also gives new resonance and context to the work by framing it in the context of modern-day policing. Something which has come into sharp focus given recent events within the UK. Banksy is never one to miss a beat.
Another wonderful example of reinvention of previous work is ‘Christ with Shopping Bags’ 2004, this very rare small edition of 84 signed pieces. The piece depicts the crucifixion of Christ on the cross but has removed the cross itself from the iconic scene. The work is undoubtedly a satire of modern consumerism and pairs the uneasy image of Christ with overflowing shopping bags festooned in pink with Mickey Mouse ears and the tips of candy canes visible to the viewer. The melting shopping bags help to enforce the metaphor of the ephemerality of consumerism. This piece is said to be a reinvention of 'Christ on the Cross' 1480 by Hugo Van Der Goes, a significant Flemish painter of the late 15th century. Who’s solemn depiction of the crucifixion cannot be said to be dissimilar.
Banksy’s constant reinvention and referencing of masterpieces not only makes his work more relevant on a social level as he weaves into his work familiar and iconic imagery but also restates the importance and relevance of the original work breathing new life into it.
コメント