The elusive street artist Banksy has confirmed that a new statue, which appeared in central London earlier this week, is his latest work. The sculpture, depicting a man marching forward with a large billowing flag obscuring his face, was erected in the dead of night in Waterloo Place, Westminster.
Artwork Details
The statue shows a figure stepping off a plinth while carrying a flag that completely covers his face. Banksy's signature is scrawled at the base of the plinth. The artist posted a video on Instagram on Thursday afternoon, confirming the work is his. The video shows the statue being towed to its location in the early hours, alongside shots of the nearby statue of Winston Churchill. In the clip, a passerby is asked for his opinion and responds, "No, I don't like it." The video juxtaposes the statue with British flags, a Beefeater soldier, and a black cab.
Location and Context
The statue is situated in Waterloo Place in the St James's area of Westminster, near statues of Edward VII and Florence Nightingale, as well as the Crimean War memorial. This is not Banksy's first foray into sculpture. In 2004, he installed a piece called The Drinker on Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End, a parody of Rodin's The Thinker, which was removed shortly after.
Recent Works
Banksy's most recent confirmed London work before this was in December, when he created a mural of two children lying down and looking at the sky near Centre Point Tower, a statement on homelessness. In September, outside the Royal Courts of Justice, he painted a mural of a judge using a gavel to beat a helpless protester, which was later removed due to the building's listed status.
Artist's Identity
Banksy's identity remains a mystery, though Reuters recently claimed to have unmasked him as Robin Gunningham from Bristol, a claim echoed by a 2008 Mail on Sunday investigation. Gunningham has denied this. Banksy's lawyer, Mark Stephens, told Reuters that the artist "does not accept that many of the details contained within your inquiry are correct" and emphasized that Banksy's anonymity is critical due to "fixated, threatening and extremist behaviour" he has faced.
