From Goats and Elephants to Monkeys... London Excited by Banksy's Relay Murals

Banksy with Murals Across London
Unusual Praise for Consecutive Murals

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The artist Banksy, known as the 'faceless painter,' has been unveiling murals across London one after another, raising local citizens' expectations.

On the 7th (local time), according to the British daily The Guardian and others, Banksy left a mural on the wall of a railway bridge in Brick Lane, a second-hand fashion street in East London, depicting three monkeys swinging on swings. Banksy later confirmed the mural as his work through his Instagram account. People gathered in front of the mural are taking ' 인증샷' ( 인증샷 is a Korean term for 'proof shot' or ' 인증샷' is often used as ' 인증샷' in Korean social media, but since it has no direct English equivalent, it is best to keep it as ' 인증샷') and uploading them due to Banksy's surprise appearance.

Previously, Banksy also revealed a mural on a residential building at Edith Terrace in Chelsea, London, showing two elephants sticking their heads out of blocked windows. Additionally, on the 5th, he left a mural of a goat on the wall of a building near Kew Bridge in southwest London.

Banksy left no explanation about the three newly unveiled works, increasing curiosity about their meaning. Especially, it is unusual for Banksy to paint murals daily like this.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Banksy expert James Peak told BBC, "Where will Banksy reveal the next mural? No one knows," adding, "But everyone here is talking about it." Peak produced the BBC radio series 'The Banksy Story.'

Some interpret the recent animal murals as the 'London Zoo series,' suggesting they liken the far-right rioters who have recently unsettled the UK to animals. There is also speculation that the goat revealed on the first day, being a common livestock animal in Palestine, symbolizes solidarity with Palestinian civilians suffering from the Gaza war.

Meanwhile, Banksy, whose real name and identity remain unknown, is a globally famous artist who has left message-laden murals not only in the UK but around the world. He authenticates his genuine works by posting photos of them on social media. Banksy's works sell for at least tens of thousands of dollars, reaching tens or hundreds of millions. In a 2021 Sotheby's auction, Banksy's work 'Love is in the Bin' was sold for ?18.7 million (approximately 32.7 billion KRW).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.