6 murals in 7 days. What's street artist Banksy up to in the UK?

London’s streets have become nothing short of a canvas, all credit to the elusive street artist, Banksy.

In just one week, six mysterious murals have popped across the different corners of the city, each depicting animals in silhouette.

From a goat teetering atop a narrow wall to elephants reaching out from bricked-up windows, these striking artworks have left many pondering about the meaning behind the latest creations by the street artist, who has highlighted themes such as war and climate change in his previous work.

So, what’s so special about these murals and why are they capturing so much attention? Let’s take a closer look

‘London Zoo’

It began with the mountain goat on Monday, precariously perched on a ledge amid falling rocks, rendered in Banksy’s signature stencil style on a wall in Richmond, west London.

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Next came two elephant heads, peering out of two blocked-out windows on the side of a house in the upscale Chelsea followed by three monkeys that were spotted hanging from a railway bridge near Brick Lane in east London.

One local resident told BBC News, “It’s genuinely really exciting. A friend messaged me early this morning telling me it’s appeared on my street so we arranged to come down as soon as we could.”

On Thursday, a silhouette of a wolf howling at the sky painted onto the face of a satellite dish on Rye Lane appeared in southeast London’s Peckham, which also within hours is believed to have been stolen.

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The next day, a fifth mural emerged: two pelicans devouring fish on the wall of a fish and chip shop in Walthamstow, north-east London.

Another local Hannah, who lives doors away from the pelican mural told BBC, it was “very exciting”. “I was lying in bed, scrolling through social media and it popped up. I said ‘come on kids, get your coats on, we’re going to go out and see the new Banksy on Bonners’,” she added.

On Saturday, a big cat was spotted doing a stretch on a dilapidated billboard on Edgware Road in Cricklewood, northwest London.

All the street art has been shared on Banksy’s Instagram, however, the artist has left the posts without captions, fuelling intense speculation among social media users about the message behind the murals.

Some have dubbed the collection the “London Zoo” series, theorising connections to various social and political issues, from far-right riots to environmental crises.

Buzz around the murals

The new murals have stirred a whirlwind of theories among art critics and the public alike.

Paul Gough, vice-chancellor of Arts University Bournemouth and author of ‘Banksy: The Bristol Legacy’, noted to The Guardian that Banksy’s method of releasing a series of works so rapidly is quite unusual as the artist leaves gaps of a few months between before unveiling his work.

Regardless, he appreciated the murals saying that their simplicity is what makes them so memorable. “The work is instantly accessible. It’s rarely over-complicated visually, yet its simplicity—stencils and iconic designs—imprints on your memory. The message resonates because it’s finely tuned to global issues. It’s art with an edge,” he said.

Banksy, who began as a street artist, has achieved significant acclaim beyond his graffiti. His piece ‘Love is in the Bin’ set a record at Sotheby’s, selling for £18.6 million (over ₹198 crore) in 2021, and was hailed as the “pre-eminent artwork of the 21st century.”

Dr. Isobel Harbison, a lecturer in critical studies at Goldsmiths, University of London, told The Guardian that she was perplexed by the images and the buzz around them. She suggested that the variety of animals might indicate that Banksy is “building quite a congress” with his art.

In contrast, art critic Jonathan Jones questioned the attention the murals are receiving. He described them as “crude stencils without nuance,” and remarked, “These bland silhouettes of animals would not be out of place in the Royal Academy summer exhibition. What’s provocative or insightful about them? Is anyone really excited to see which animal comes next?”

**What is the meaning behind the murals?
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According to Gough, “Banksy has often used animals to convey urgent messages about environmental issues, threats to habitat, and the impact of climate change. But they are also powerful metaphors for the state of global politics and the troubled world we have created."

“Domestic animals – cows, pigs and sheep – are invariably augmented by less savoury beasts – chimps, rats – sporting acerbic placards with an air of playful thuggery,” he said.

Speculation about the murals’ meaning is rife. Some suggest they could be related to recent conflicts in Gaza or the recent surge of riots and racist attacks across the UK.

“Nice one Banksy. I see this as a critique on the wild and chaotic behaviour currently erupting across the UK. Far right thugs on the prowl,” commented a user on Banksy’s Instagram post.

Others connected the murals to the climate crisis and the notion that humanity is hastening its own downfall. “Humanity is not going to last … animals will be taking over,” wrote another user.

Whether these murals signify a new direction for Banksy or a reaction to contemporary issues, they have undoubtedly succeeded in capturing the public’s imagination.

With input from agencies