'Faceless Artist' Banksy
"Contains a Message of Public Support"
The "faceless artist" Banksy, who has been installing animal-themed artworks across London, has this time painted an aquarium on a police box.
On the 11th (local time), BBC reported that a school of fish appeared on a police box at Ludgate Hill in the City of London financial district. The artwork depicts the box, which is used for police duties such as traffic control, as if it were an aquarium. Banksy confirmed through Instagram that this installation is his work. The City of London authorities told the media that they are "considering ways to preserve this artwork."
Since the 5th, Banksy has been unveiling animal murals across London. Goats, elephants, monkeys, wolves, pelicans, and cats have appeared in sequence, with this fish artwork being the seventh. However, among these, the mural of a wolf on a satellite antenna was stolen shortly after its unveiling by masked intruders, causing controversy.
Public curiosity about these works has especially grown. It is unusual for Banksy to leave multiple works in succession without any explanation. Some have referred to this series of animal murals as the "London Zoo series," interpreting it as a metaphor comparing the far-right rioters who recently unsettled the UK to animals. However, Pest Control, the company that manages Banksy's artwork sales and authenticates originals, told The Guardian that these works simply carry a message of support for the public.
Meanwhile, Banksy, whose face and real name remain unknown, has gained fame by leaving murals with messages around the world. He usually announces that a mural is his work by posting photos of it on social media. Notably, in 2018, Banksy drew attention when his artwork "Girl with Balloon" was auctioned at Sotheby's in the UK for ?1.04 million (about 1.6 billion KRW), and immediately after the sale, a remote-controlled shredder hidden in the frame shredded half of the painting to pieces.
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