Elusive street artist Banksy has unveiled two new artworks on the sides of buildings in London: a mountain goat, perched precariously on a ledge; and two elephants, reaching out to each other from blocked-out windows.
ADVERTISEMENTOn Monday (5 August) Banksy unveiled his – for the time being – newest work, found near Kew Bridge in southwest London. Done in the artist’s signature stencil style, with rocks falling down below the goat, the work also saw a nearby CCTV camera pointed at the animal silhouette – though this has since been moved to its original position, according to the BBC.
Given the guerilla artist’s penchant for political messaging, this piece of street art has stirred inevitable debate regarding its significance.
Could it be a comment on the perilous position of the natural world amid climate change? Or might Banksy be proclaiming himself the Greatest Of All Time?
As has been the case with previous pieces, Banksy confirmed the work belonged to him via his Instagram page – without giving any hint as to a deeper meaning.
Hot on the heels of his goat-themed work, Banksy dropped an image of another animal artwork on his Instagram page on Tuesday (6 August). This time, the animal silhouettes were two elephants, looking out at each other from blocked-out windows, their trunks almost touching.
The artist offered no commentary on this newest piece, which was presumed by many to be in London and appears to be in the Chelsea area, but speculation started about how many other animals we might expect to see in the coming hours and days.
Banksy’s latest pieces of street art come after the Bristol artist drew ire for a stunt at Glastonbury in June, which saw an imitation of migrant boat created by the artist crowd surfing during performances by indie punk band Idles (also from Bristol) and rapper Little Simz.
The then home secretary James Cleverly criticised the stunt for “trivialising” small boats crossings, describing the artistic action as “vile”.
Responding to Cleverly’s comments, the artist said it was the “real boat” he funds – the MV Louise Michel – being detained by Italian authorities, after it had rescued 17 unaccompanied children at sea, that he found “vile and unacceptable”.
The artist, whose identity remains unknown, last painted in the British capital when he sprayed green paint on a wall behind a cut-back tree.
