Monday was a goat. On Tuesday, two elephants. This Wednesday, three monkeys appeared. What is the meaning of Banksy’s latest stunt and what could it reveal next?
Wild animals cause a sensation in Londonwhere the third consecutive work by Banksy in just three days.
On Monday, August 5, the Bristol-born street artist unveiled the first work of the animal series near Kew Bridge, south west London. The work, created in his characteristic stencil style, represents agoat with rocks falling below.
Following the first work, Banksy posted an image of another work of animal art on his Instagram page the next day. This time, set in Chelsea, it showed two elephants looking at each other from covered windows, with their trunks almost touching.
On Wednesday they appeared three monkeys swinging across a bridge in Brick Lane, east London. A pattern seems to be emerging: on Monday, an animal (goat). On Tuesday, two animals (elephants). On Wednesday, three animals (monkeys). And Thursday? Who knows… But we suspect there will be four.
What does Banksy’s London Zoo series mean?
Although he elusive artistfamous for his political comments, has not given any explanation about his recent series of works, many have speculated on the internet. In light of the recent and continuing far-right riots in the UKa popular theory suggests that Banksy is criticizing the wild and chaotic behavior that is currently breaking out, establishing a parallelism between the actions of people and wild animals from the zoo.
“The goat’s precarious position on the edge reflects the fragile state of British societywhich is teetering on the brink of chaos due to recent unrest,” suggested one user on Instagram.
Another wrote, in reference to Banksy’s elephant work: “Walking and ignoring ‘the elephant in the room’ (from the English expression ‘elephant in the room’)… Perfect representation of the United Kingdom right now”.
A equally popular theory suggests that it could be a commentary on climate change and how urbanization is driving animals out of cities. “We have forced these precious animals to live in a concrete jungle. We suck. We only have one job. Keeping Mother Earth alive and safe,” says one commentator.
Banksy’s latest street art comes after the Bristol artist sparked anger over an action in Glastonbury in June, in which an imitation of a migrant ship created by the artist was passed from person to person in the crowd during the indie punk band’s performances Idles (also from Bristol) and rapper Little Simz.
The then Minister of the Interior, James Cleverly, criticized the maneuver for “trivializing” boat crossings, and described the artistic action as “vile.” In response to Cleverly’s comments, Banksy said that what he found “vile and unacceptable” was that the “royal boat” that the artist himself finances, the MV Louise Michel, was arrested by the Italian authorities after rescuing 17 unaccompanied children at sea.
The artist, whose identity remains unknown, he had last painted in the British capital when sprayed with green paint a wall located behind a felled tree.
