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Renowned street artist Banksy has unveiled a trio of new works in London, each featuring wild animals. On Monday, August 5th, a goat artwork by Banksy appeared near Kew Bridge in southwest London. This was followed by a mural featuring two elephants, which appeared in Chelsea on Tuesday; and a mural featuring three monkeys, which appeared on Brick Lane in East London on Wednesday. Banksy appeared to claim responsibility for each of these works by posting photos of them on his Instagram.
The first piece, a goat perched precariously with rocks tumbling beneath it, was discovered on a building bordering Kew Green. The next day, Banksy shared an image of two elephants seemingly communicating through blocked-out windows, their trunks almost touching. By Wednesday, three monkeys had appeared, apparently swinging their way across a bridge in Brick Lane. This daily cadence of animals appearing in increasing numbers has left many wondering what Thursday might bring. Most are expecting the arrival of a Banksy artwork with four creatures.
The sudden influx of animal imagery in public spaces has ignited debate about the meaning behind this latest series of Banksy’s artworks. Some theories suggest that the artworks are political commentary, perhaps related to recent far-right riots in the U.K. One Instagram commenter suggested that the goat’s unstable position reflects the fragile state of U.K. society, which appears to be on the brink of chaos due to the disturbances. The depiction of elephants, meanwhile, has been seen as a metaphor for ignoring pressing issues of our time—the proverbial “elephant in the room.”
These political messages fit with the ideas behind Banksy’s recent artworks. For example, at Glastonbury Festival, Banksy sent an inflatable boat crowd-surfing through performances, referencing the heated public conversation around migrant boat crossings in the U.K.
Others have proposed an environmental message, highlighting how urbanization is displacing wildlife. “We have forced these gorgeous animals to live in a concrete jungle,” wrote another Instagram commenter, lamenting humanity’s failure to protect the planet.
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