Banksy Reveals Meaning Behind Surprising Animal Artworks | Artnet News (2024)

A week-long series of animal artworks by Banksy came to an end over the weekend with two final additions. On Saturday, a big wild cat stretching appeared on a disused billboard in Cricklewood in North West London and, on Sunday, a police box became a tank of bloodthirsty piranhas in the City, London’s main financial district. The anonymous street artist has also finally revealed the true meaning behind the works.

Every day last week, Banksy unveiled the black silhouette of a different animal at a new location in the sprawling U.K. capital. On Monday, a goat appeared in Richmond followed by two elephants in Chelsea on Tuesday. Three monkeys appeared on an overpass on Brick Lane on Wednesday, then a howling wolf on a satellite disk in Peckham on Thursday, and two hungry pelicans atop a fish bar in Walthamstow on Friday.

Banksy Reveals Meaning Behind Surprising Animal Artworks | Artnet News (1)

A City of London Police officer looks at an artwork by street artist Banksy, the seventh to released this week, depicting piranha fish swimming around a Police Box, in the City of London, on August 11, 2024. Photo: Henry Nicholls/ AFP via Getty Images.

Banksy claimed authorship of all seven images via his Instagram but offered no further explanation, tantalizing a fanbase that admires his penchant for social and political commentary. Almost immediately, internet users speculated about the works’ possible meanings. The goat, debuted last Monday, which appears to perch precariously on a ledge? Commenter @robbartlett13 read it as a representation of “the human race on the precipice” while others thought it might refer to the scapegoating of immigrants and racial minorities during recent far-right riots in the U.K.

In reality, a spokesperson for Pest Control Office, the organization that supports Banksy’s practice, has reportedly “indicated” to theObserverthat “recent theorizing about the deeper significance of each new image has been way too involved.”

Rather than offering dire ruminations on the state of the world, these works are intended to “cheer people with a moment of unexpected amusement, as well as to gently underline the human capacity for creative play, rather than for destruction and negativity.”

Indeed, his new artworks have used popular wild animals to make visual puns out of the everyday urban architecture, allowing us to see these features in a new light. For example, monkeys swing using the indent running along an overpass or a prowling jungle cat inhabits an unusually leafy part of London.

Banksy Reveals Meaning Behind Surprising Animal Artworks | Artnet News (2)

A cyclist passes by a new artwork by Banksy on an old billboard in Cricklewood. The artwork, depicting a wild cat, is the sixth new artwork in six days in London by the elusive street artist. Photo: Vuk Valcic/ SOPA Images/ LightRocket via Getty Images.

Although the new series is only a week old, at least two of the artworks have already gone. On Thursday, a troop of masked men brazenly stole the satellite dish bearing Banksy’s howling wolf in broad daylight, just hours after it was announced. The police investigation into the incident is ongoing and there have been no arrests so far, the Metropolitan Police confirmed today.

More recently, on Saturday, the disused billboard onto which Banksy had inserted a sprawling wild cat was dismantled and removed by contractors amid concerns it would otherwise be taken. They were booed by a crowd of angry onlookers.

According to a report by PA, one of the men apparently claimed that he would store the artwork temporarily in case Banksy plans to reclaim it but, otherwise, “it’ll go in a skip.”The billboard’s owner has other ideas, having reportedly informed police that he plans to donate it to an art gallery.

“It is a shame that some people just can’t leave the works alone,” commented Michel Boersma, a curator of Banksy’s art. “These street artworks need to be seen on their original locations, as intended by the artist.”

In the summer of 2021, Banksy made the Great British Spraycation, a similarly lighthearted series of artworks across the U.K.’s coastal towns, apparently inspired by the travel restrictions that saw many Brits opt for holidays closer to home. Though these works were playful, they had some satirical bite. In one mural in the Suffolk town of Lowestoft, a rat relaxing on a deck chair holds up a martini glass just below a pipe that occasionally drips sewage.

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Banksy Reveals Meaning Behind Surprising Animal Artworks | Artnet News (2024)

FAQs

What is Banksy's message in his art? ›

Banksy's art is often satirical, addressing topics such as war, capitalism, hypocrisy, and greed. His stenciled pieces, often combined with striking and witty text, have appeared on streets, walls, and bridges of cities across the world.

What do the Banksy animals mean? ›

Since the final piece was revealed, however, he believes there is a theme of "incarceration; animals being trapped" in the series. PA Media. The last in the series shows a gorilla enabling the "grand great escape" which explains why there were animals all over London, says Banksy expert James Peak.

What are the meanings behind Banksy art? ›

Banksy's artwork often carries potent social and political commentary. The symbolism in his works often reflects his views on war, capitalism, hypocrisy, and the human condition. His art inspires conversation, provoking thought and challenging societal norms.

What is Banksy trying to convey? ›

Banksy was making a point about the hypocrisy and inconsistency of a society that punishes individuals for expressing love by having the two officers embrace. “One Nation Under CCTV,” another early Banksy piece, is a critique of the ever-present nature of surveillance in today's world.

What is Banksy's main theme? ›

Banksy's artwork is characterized by striking images, often combined with slogans. His work often engages political themes, satirically critiquing war, capitalism, hypocrisy and greed. Common subjects include rats, apes, policemen, members of the royal family, and children.

What is Banksy's symbol? ›

In many ways, Banksy also uses the symbol of the rat as a way of aligning himself with the wretched and the underdogs whom he often speaks about or on behalf of in his works.

How does Banksy hide himself? ›

By keeping his face covered and often making his art in masquerade, Banksy remains in the shadows. As one of the most successful street artists in the world, Banksy also has an extensive team behind him protecting the secret.

What does the barking dog mean in Banksy? ›

Banksy's Choose Your Weapon pays homage to Keith Haring, appropriating Haring's famous dog icon to imply that there are alternatives to violence, alluding to the idiom: “the pen is mightier than the sword”.

What is the meaning of Banksy Panda? ›

"Banksy Panda" remains a testament to the impact of Banksy's art, serving as a symbol of his ability to use art to engage, provoke, and inspire change.

What is Banksy's philosophy? ›

Banksy's art is known for its sharp political and social commentary. His works often highlight human rights issues, particularly those relating to war, poverty, and immigration. Banksy's anonymity adds a layer of intrigue to his provocative art.

Why did Banksy make Girl with Balloons? ›

Whether you see the girl as losing the balloon, or about to catch it, the meaning can be interpreted as a loss of innocence or the arrival of new hope and love. The image first appeared in London's Southbank in 2002, together with a quotation that read 'there is always hope', before the council painted over it.

What are the political messages in Banksy? ›

For Banksy, the street is his canvas, and his art is a form of political activism. His works often highlight issues such as war, capitalism, hypocrisy, and greed. His art is provocative, designed to make you stop, think, and question the world around you.

What is Banksy's most famous piece? ›

GIRL WITH BALLOON

Girl with Balloon is undoubtedly one of Banksy's most recognizable works. The image of a little girl reaching towards a red heart-shaped balloon was created as part of a London series of street art works starting in 2002.

What does Banksy art focus on? ›

His artwork is often satirical, combining dark humour with messages about art, philosophy, and politics. By the early 2000s, Banksy had relocated from Bristol to London, where he began to gain notoriety; but, at the same time, his international work was taking off.

What is Banksy's main subject matter? ›

Banksy does not like people to know their identity. so they make their art in secret, even though it is often in busy places. Their work is often about war, politics and other issues that they think are important.

What is Banksy's style of art? ›

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