Banksy continues his mysterious series in London
Deer, Elephants, Apes, a Wolf, Pelicans, a Cat, a School of Piranhas, and now a Rhino on a Wall, Seeming to Climb onto a Car. Another Work by the Enigmatic Artist Banksy Emerges on the Streets of London.
It appears as if the animal is pushing down the rear of the car with its strength: In London, a rhino has appeared for the eighth day in a row, a new animal artwork by Banksy. The mysterious street artist published a photo of the rhino on his Instagram account, claiming responsibility for the act. Releasing so many works in such a short time is unusual for the elusive artist.
The rhino is spray-painted in the typical Banksy style on a wall in the Greenwich district of southeast London, appearing to attempt to climb onto a stationary car. A traffic cone on the car's hood also gives it a rhino-like appearance. For a week now, Banksy has been surprising everyone with a new animal artwork each day, without providing a title or explanation for this "zoo."
First, a deer appeared in Kew, southwest London, followed by two elephants in the Chelsea district of west London. Since then, three apes, a wolf, pelicans, a cat, and most recently, a school of piranhas on the windows of a police glass box have followed. The piranhas had to be secured with barriers. Representatives of the city of London have stated that they plan to move the box to another location soon.
However, two of the works have already disappeared: The lounging cat that Banksy spray-painted on a dilapidated billboard on a street in northwest London was reportedly removed for security reasons. The owner promised to donate the cat to an art gallery.
The howling wolf spray-painted on a satellite dish in the Peckham district of southeast London was removed by several masked men within an hour of Banksy's confirmation. This appears to be a case of theft. The London police confirmed that a theft report has been filed. A Banksy spokesperson told PA that the artist had nothing to do with the theft and does not support it.
Despite his artworks fetching high millions at auctions, Banksy's identity remains a mystery. The artist is from Bristol, but little else is known. There have been many speculations about his real name, but none have been confirmed.
What is Banksy Trying to Say with the Animal Images?
Banksy fans have been speculating for days about what the artist is trying to say with the animal images. Did he use the deer as a reference to the far-right riots in the country, as one Instagram user suggested, using a symbol for a scapegoat? Or are the three monkeys meant to represent the Japanese proverb "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"? This wisdom, often depicted with three monkeys covering their eyes, ears, and mouth, has often been interpreted in the West as a criticism of people's tendency to turn a blind eye to injustice.
But Banksy has not provided any interpretation. After days of speculation, the British newspaper "Observer" managed to shed a little light on the matter. According to a source close to the artist, the images do not have a deeper meaning. He simply wants to bring joy to people in a time dominated by negative headlines.
Banksy hopes, "that his art brings people a moment of unexpected joy." At the same time, it's about highlighting people's ability for creative play rather than destruction and negativity, a representative for Banksy told the newspaper.
Given the attention his "Zoo" received, it seems Banksy has achieved this. However, his work may not be entirely without critical undertones: the fish on the police box with their sharp teeth suspiciously resemble piranhas. For the British police, who have faced numerous scandals in recent years, this would not be a flattering interpretation.
The Commission has been closely monitoring Banksy's recent series of animal artwork on the streets of London, with each new piece causing a stir. The Metropolitan Police has acknowledged that they are aware of the situation and are not taking any action against the artist at this time.
Despite the lack of legal issues, The Commission is interested in understanding Banksy's message through his animal images. They have initiated a discussion with experts and art historians to decipher the potential meanings and symbols hidden in the images, aiming to gain insights into the artist's intentions.
