A goat precariously balancing on a pillar with falling rocks below. Two elephants peeking out from sealed windows.
Three monkeys swinging along a bridge. A solitary wolf howling at the heavens. Two pelicans feasting on fish above a fish bar. A feline stretching widely.
These are the six Banksy creations that have emerged in London just this week, with a seventh piece awaiting verification.
But what motivates the mysterious Banksy to unleash this surge of creativity in various regions of the metropolis?
Paul Gough, an authority on Banksy and a professor and vice chancellor at Arts University Bournemouth, shared with Metro.co.uk that the enigmatic artist may be leading up to something significant.
What is Banksy’s grand scheme?
‘Banksy seems to be gearing towards a dramatic revelation or a significant creation in the coming days,’ stated Paul, a frequent Banksy commentator who was falsely accused of being the elusive artist in a viral TikTok video that amassed two million views in 2022.
‘What sets this apart is that Banksy usually leaves room for speculation, keeping people pondering the authenticity of his work for a while.
‘This time around, he promptly confirms authorship, a departure from his usual approach.
‘The lingering question lies in his sustainability both on a creative level and in maintaining audience interest.’
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While Banksy conducted a month-long tenure in New York City in 2013, producing one street artwork in different city locales each day in October, this was pre-announced.
What insights do we have concerning the six Banksy artworks thus far?
Distinct from past instances, these London installations are promptly acknowledged by the artist.
The inaugural artwork on Monday exhibits a mountain goat precariously positioned on a pillar as rocks tumble beneath it in Kew Green, Richmond, southwest London.
The second showcases two elephants peering from obscured windows on Esther Terrace, Chelsea, west London, while the third displays three monkeys frolicking across a bridge on Brick Lane in east London.
A lone wolf materialized on Rye Lane in Peckham, southeast London, on Thursday before being taken away just an hour later.
A fifth installment emerged in Walthamstow, featuring two pelicans feasting on fish above Bonners Fish Bar on Northcote Road, on Friday.
Subsequently, a feline on a run-down billboard covered in foliage emerged on Edgware Road in Cricklewood, located in the northwest of London, on Saturday.
Consistently, Banksy validated the authenticity of the piece on his official Instagram account shortly after 1pm each day this week.
Paul expressed: ‘A recurring theme is emerging through all of this. Banksy is known to have incorporated animals in his pieces before, yet unlike rats or chimps.
‘The animals showcased so far appear rather gentle, quite naive to the world except for the wolf, certainly a deviation from his prior works.’
The significance of Banksy’s latest creation
Inquisitive for an interpretation, at least one individual theorized that the pieces may be a reflection on immigration and refugees.
Another individual suggested it could be related to Brexit, with the cat painted on a billboard due to billboards exhibiting the ‘£350million for the NHS promise during the campaign’.
Commenting on Banksy’s Instagram post, they remarked: ‘The cat out of the bag signifies the truth about Brexit.
‘The cats symbolize scratching of a billboard that’s deteriorated with the messages on it vanished long ago.’
Paul informed Metro that he believes Banksy has been inspired to create this recent artwork due to the contemporary state of the world.
He mentioned: ‘Despite the myriad of events occurring, it’s challenging to pinpoint what he is directing to presently.
‘This is why I am of the opinion that he is building up to a more significant, almost shocking disclosure perhaps, which will enrich our comprehension of the ongoing world around us.’
Nevertheless, Banksy’s support organization, Pest Control Office, hinted that people might be overanalyzing the interpretation.
Rather than conveying a deep message, Banksy’s intention may be to uplift people with ‘unforeseen entertainment’ amidst somber news updates, as reported by The Observer on Saturday.
Does the location of the Banksy artworks hold significance?
Presently, it does not appear that the location matters, but that could alter in the future.
Banksy has previously initiated other art series and campaigns in specific geographical regions of the UK in August.
One of the most renowned was his Spraycation series spanning areas along the east coast of England in August 2021.
However, it took Banksy some time to officially confirm these ten pieces of art in towns including Cromer, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, and Oulton Broad.
‘As the mystery surrounding the various works has been eliminated this time, it indicates that he is building up to something larger,’ Paul remarked.
‘I don’t think the locations necessarily hold great significance but they all seem elevated or in challenging-to-reach positions.
‘One certainty is that Banksy operates by his own standards and we are all following his lead.’
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