Banksy, famous for his street art, worked under the cover of darkness to reveal a series of murals by daylight. His nine artworks were creative and thought-provoking, addressing significant themes. If you haven’t heard about what transpired, let me walk you through it.

Banksy’s artistic exploration of animal liberation began on 5th August 2024 and continues to resonate. He painted murals throughout the city, focusing on the theme of animals being liberated from captivity.

This raises an interesting question: what links Banksy’s monkeys, elephants, pelicans, goats and wolves? Is it simply a commentary on animal liberation, or does it delve into deeper issues? 

Do these latest murals actually touch on more complex themes related to the Palestinian situation.

For instance, one mural shows a mountain gazelle precariously perched on a ledge, with the ground crumbling beneath it. 

 

The mountain gazelle, Palestine’s national animal, represents resilience in the face of adversity. The ominous presence of a CCTV camera watching the gazelle adds tension, emphasising its endangered status.

One thing is clear: Banksy’s talent shines as he thoughtfully places his art in meaningful locations.

His latest piece, spray-painted on the shutters of London Zoo, features a gorilla, sea lion and birds, with the animals watching from the sidelines.

Unfortunately, many of these murals have been vandalised, including a clever installation featuring a Nissan Micra topped with a traffic cone, now marred by a white spray-painted sign. A satellite dish with a howling wolf has also gone missing, and the fourth mural in the series was stolen from a garage in Peckham. 

Thankfully, many establishments are now working to preserve these artworks. It’s essential that these pieces are accessible to everyone, wouldn’t you agree?

Banking on a Banksy

Banksy’s most recent notable sale was a piece titled “Love is in the Bin”, which sold for approximately £18.5 million (around $25 million) at an auction in London. This artwork famously shredded itself immediately after being sold at a previous auction in 2018.

——–

Luiza Yoanna has a deep passion for the art world, and in this, her regular feature in Premier Magazine as well as on her very popular Instagram page www.instagram.com/luizagibb she is dedicated to showcasing the latest developments on the art scene

---

This article appears in the autumn edition of Premier Magazine.