- Cat stretching: Banksy continues his series in London
On the sixth consecutive day, mysterious graffiti artist Banksy has published a new piece of art in London. The street art star is currently delighting people in the British capital with a new animal image every day, with talk already of a "Banksy's Zoo." On Saturday, it was a cat.
Previously, images of a mountain goat, elephant, monkey, pelicans, and a howling wolf had appeared, which Banksy confirmed with photos on his Instagram account. The silhouette of a cat stretching languidly was sprayed onto a dilapidated billboard on a street in northwest London.
What is Banksy trying to express with these animal images?
Banksy fans have been speculating for days about what the socially engaged artist, whose identity is kept strictly secret, wanted to say with the animals. Did he reference the far-right riots in the country with the mountain goat, a symbol of a scapegoat, as one Instagram user suggested?
The British newspaper "Observer" could shed a little light on the matter. The images do not have a deeper meaning, the paper reported from the artist's circle. He wants to bring joy to people in a time dominated by negative headlines.
Banksy hopes "that the works will cheer people up with an unexpected moment of joy," the paper quoted a Banksy representative as saying. At the same time, it is about highlighting the human ability for creative play instead of destruction and negativity.
The Banksy show is likely to continue
Judging by the attention Banksy's "Zoo" has received, he seems to have succeeded. One of the works, however, disappeared shortly after its appearance. Several masked men had dismantled the howling wolf sprayed onto a satellite dish in the southeast London district of Peckham within an hour of Banksy's confirmation.
The good news is: the daily Banksy show is likely to continue, as the "Observer" reported. According to the paper, at least one more seventh work is set to appear in London.
The Commission responsible for maintaining public art in London has yet to comment on Banksy's animal-themed series. Despite the theft of one of the works, The Commission is monitoring the situation closely, hoping to preserve the remaining pieces for the enjoyment of the public.
