AUGUST 7, 2024 KATE MOTHES

Mountain goat near Kew Bridge, Richmond upon Thames. All images © Banksy

Renowned street artist Banksy has created a series of small murals around London that many perceive to be directly related to recent riots.

In the U.K., thousands of police remain on standby as a series of riots instigated by far-right supporters have escalated during the past week. The unrest that erupted last Tuesday was spurred by a senseless act: the murders of three children in a dance class in Southport, on the west coast of England, also left eight other children and two adults critically injured. Violence broke out in Southport, then spread quickly to other cities, culminating in assaults on police and racially-motivated attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers.

Elephants in Chelsea

Renowned street artist Banksy (previously) has created a series of small murals around London that many perceive to be directly related to the riots. Completing one each day, the animals emerge as part of a broader practice in which the artist installs one piece daily during a period of time. While the anonymous artist rarely explicitly describes the meaning behind specific works, various interpretations are often implied in relation to current events and social, economic, or political agendas.

Monkeys on a bridge over Brick Lane near Shoreditch High Street

Through his characteristic use of metaphor, Banksy perches a goat precariously on a high elevation as rocks crumble at its feet. While it maintains its balance, the creature may represent the fragile state of U.K. society and criticism about scapegoating or blaming particular groups, especially in regard to race, during periods of unrest. Surveillance, a critical theme in Banksy’s work, appears here in the form of a CCTV camera that has been turned away from the street and trained on the goat.

Two additional installations, including a trio of swinging monkeys and a pair of elephants greeting one another across a void, reference the “wilderness” of the moment and the importance of coming together rather than allowing tensions to erupt. Find more on Banksy’s Instagram.

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More: Animals Balance Precariously and Greet Each Other Across Voids in Banksy’s New Murals — Colossal