Banksy art – from new NHS work in Southampton to rats in his bathroom
BANKSY has revealed a new artwork honouring our NHS heroes in a hospital corridor.
The secretive artist, whose real identity has never been revealed, sells his works for several million pounds each. But what are his most recent paintings?
What is Banksy’s new artwork?
The piece, Game Changer, shows a boy dressed in dungarees playing with a toy nurse depicted as a superhero, along with figures of Batman and Spiderman in a waste paper basket on the floor.
It is on display for staff and patients on Level C of Southampton General Hospital.
Banksy left a note for hospital workers, saying: “Thanks for all you’re doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if its only black and white.”
Once lockdown is lifted the piece will be put on public display.
It will then be auctioned to raise money for NHS charities, a spokeswoman for Banksy said.
What did he paint before that?
In April, Banksy created a series of rats wrecking havoc in his bathroom.
He posted a set of five images to Instagram with the caption: “My wife hates it when I work from home.”
It showed rats – which have featured in many of his previous artworks – knocking the bathroom mirror to one side, hanging on the light pull, swinging on a towel ring and stepping on a tube of toothpaste.
Rats are seen skipping on a roll of toilet paper, appearing to urinate against the toilet seat and using red lipstick to tally up the days in lockdown.
What is Banksy’s Christmas 2019 artwork?
The festive-themed artwork showing a rough sleeper being carried off by reindeer highlights homelessness and has been viewed over 1million times since it was posted on social media.
The video, which was posted to Instagram, shows a homeless man called Ryan having a drink before he settles down on a bench, Banksy said in a clip.
The new mural then shows the bench being pulled away by two reindeer painted on the brick wall.
It’s painted in Birmingham city’s Jewellery Quarter.
What are Banksy’s most famous art works?
The world-famous artist usually creates his street art under the cover of darkness but we look at some of his greatest works.
While Banksy is said to have travelled the world to create his art he is thought to have produced most of his work in the UK.
More than 120 works have been attributed to him over three decades.
There is Always Hope – London
Arguably Banksy’s most iconic piece, it appeared on the South Bank, London, in around 2002.
The title is written behind a young girl seen reaching for a balloon in the shape of a heart.
Banksy’s artwork titled Girl With Balloon – a variation on the original – was up for auction at Sotheby’s in London when it self-destructed.
A secret shredder destroyed the painting after it sold for £1million.
Art experts say it is now worth double.
Devolved Parliament
Bansky’s 13ft wide painting of chimpanzees in the House of Commons hit the headlines in October 2019 when it sold at auction for £9.9million.
Its sale shattered the 2008 record for a Banksy artwork which was £1.4million for a Damien Hirst “spot” painting stencilled over by the graffiti artist.
The work was first unveiled as part of his exhibition vs Bristol Museum in 2009.
Banksy reacted on Instagram to the sale and said: “Record price for a Banksy painting set at auction tonight.
“Shame I didn’t still own it.”
EU flag – Dover
One of the guerrilla artist’s latest work is a Brexit-inspired piece erected in Dover in May 2017.
It features a workman on a ladder removing one of the bright yellow stars following Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.
GCHQ Government Spies Telephone Box – Cheltenham
In April 2014, he created a piece near to GCHQ in Cheltenham of three men wearing sunglasses and using listening devices to snoop on a telephone box.
It followed revelations from files leaked by former CIA agent Edward Snowden about the surveillance techniques used by intelligence agencies.
Draw The Raised Bridge – Hull
This work shows a young boy wearing a helmet and cape alongside the words “Draw the raised bridge” and appeared in January, 2018.
The original artwork was destroyed in three days but soon restored, with the council saying it will protect the painting.
In July 2018 it was revealed the artwork was being moved into storage ahead of urgent works.
Seasons Greetings – Port Talbot
Banksy visited Port Talbot on the weekend of December 15 and 16, 2018, to paint a mural on a garage wall.
The image – stencilled on two sides of the garage – appears to show a little boy playing in the snow from one angle.
LATEST BANKSY NEWS
The artist confirmed the art was his by posting a video of it captioned “season’s greetings” on Instagram.
Banksy’s graffiti is thought to be a reference to the steelworks in Port Talbot, Wales, which belch soot and ash over nearby homes.
Houses in the area were left coated in black dust over the summer – sparking fears over the long-term health impact.
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