Banksy revealed a fresh piece of art in London on Sunday, featuring a group of fish on a police sentry box, marking his seventh animal-themed creation to emerge in the British capital this past week. The series by the anonymous street artist has ignited widespread media curiosity and speculation about its significance. Banksy, whose true identity remains undisclosed and is the focus of intense conjecture, verified on Instagram that the latest addition, which appeared overnight in the City of London's financial hub, was indeed his work. Prior to this, all his recent pieces were monochromatic silhouettes of various animals. However, the newest artwork seems to have been crafted with transparent spray paint on the sentry box's glass windows, transforming it into a spectacle resembling a large aquarium. On Sunday, two police officers were observed scrutinizing the artwork and photographing it. "We are aware of criminal damage to a City of London Police box in Ludgate Hill," stated detective chief inspector Andy Spooner. He added that the police were in contact with the local authority that owns the sentry box. Out of the seven artworks that have been unveiled since Monday, two are no longer in sight. One, depicting a wolf on a satellite dish, was stolen just an hour after its display in southeast London on Thursday. Subsequently, on Saturday, an artwork of a stretching cat, created on a dilapidated advertising billboard, was taken down by contractors in northwest London for safety concerns. Typically, months elapse between new Banksy creations, but this week's daily unveilings have prompted media and fan speculation about their meanings. The Observer newspaper suggested on Saturday that these artworks were intended to uplift the public during a chaotic week in the UK, characterized by widespread street violence. "Some recent theorizing about the deeper significance of each new image has been way too involved, Banksy's support organisation, Pest Control Office, has indicated," the Sunday newspaper reported.
Text: Lara Palmer
11.08.2024
Elusive artist Banksy's latest series sparks media frenzy and speculation in the British capital