While each of Banksys stencils is a
stand-alone work of art, the artist does utilize common themes to illustrate
his message. Among those themes, the Rat, the Monkey and the Angel appear in
many of his pieces, causing one to speculate what each of these figures mean to
the artist.
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The Rat |
The Rat
Banksys mischievous little rat appears in
many of his graffiti stencils. The rat may or may not be a tribute to Blec le
Rat, who originally stenciled rats because they were the only truly free animal
in the city. Of course, these Banksy stencils may well represent the artists
bond with the little creatures. Not only are Banksy and the rat both creatures
of the night, they are also both looked down upon by polite society.
More about Banksy eminently quotable rat comes up with such pithy statements as Its not a race", London doesnt work" and Because Im worthless." Not only are these statements humorous in and of themselves, they also provide political commentary from a rats " er, Banksys " point of view. Its not a race" may refer to the fact that the rats are taking life seriously. Or, perhaps, it means that man takes life far too seriously, creating a race where no competition is needed. London doesnt work" may refer to the fact that the unemployment rate in London has always been on the high side. Or, perhaps it refers to the dysfunctional animal control system that has been unable to rid the city of rats for centuries. Because Im worthless" may refer to the rats opinion of himself. Or, perhaps it refers to the classic stereotype of graffitists. High society feels that graffiti artists vandalize buildings in order to feel better about themselves.
More about Banksy eminently quotable rat comes up with such pithy statements as Its not a race", London doesnt work" and Because Im worthless." Not only are these statements humorous in and of themselves, they also provide political commentary from a rats " er, Banksys " point of view. Its not a race" may refer to the fact that the rats are taking life seriously. Or, perhaps, it means that man takes life far too seriously, creating a race where no competition is needed. London doesnt work" may refer to the fact that the unemployment rate in London has always been on the high side. Or, perhaps it refers to the dysfunctional animal control system that has been unable to rid the city of rats for centuries. Because Im worthless" may refer to the rats opinion of himself. Or, perhaps it refers to the classic stereotype of graffitists. High society feels that graffiti artists vandalize buildings in order to feel better about themselves.
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The Monkey |
The Monkey
Monkeys are another recurring theme in
Banksy stencils. One of his most iconic stencils features a downtrodden monkey
wearing a sign that reads, Laugh now, but one day well be in charge." A
commentary on mans feeling of superiority towards his simian cousins, or,
conversely, the monkeys knowledge that it is the superior race, this stencil
appears in many permutations. Other monkeys proclaim that Lying to the police
is never wrong." While this expression is typical of human rebels, it also
expresses the world from a monkeys point of view. If lying to the police will
keep it out of a zoo or a science experiment, a monkey should always lie to the
police. Banksys Media Monkey" wears headphones, operates a camera and
holds an old-style clapperboard. Is Banksy commenting on the mindless nature of
modern film-making or the mindless nature of those who make films, including
his own films? Or is he noting that monkeys may well make better movies than
those that currently invade the theaters?
Why does Banksy favor monkeys? Perhaps it is an expression of the imitative nature of man as expressed in the aphorism Monkey see, monkey do." After all, art imitates life and life imitates art. Graffiti artists imitate one another, either as a tribute or to mock anothers work. Perhaps Banksy enjoys monkeys simply because they look so much like, yet so much more comical than, their human counterparts.
Why does Banksy favor monkeys? Perhaps it is an expression of the imitative nature of man as expressed in the aphorism Monkey see, monkey do." After all, art imitates life and life imitates art. Graffiti artists imitate one another, either as a tribute or to mock anothers work. Perhaps Banksy enjoys monkeys simply because they look so much like, yet so much more comical than, their human counterparts.
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Banksy's Fallen Angel |
The Angel
One of Banksys most heart-wrenching angels
is his tribute to fellow graffiti artist Ozone on the occasion of his death.
The angel wears a bulletproof vest and stares down at the skull in his hand. His
expression is one of utter loss " a very human expression of grief.
Banksys Fallen Angel is one of his most popular pieces of graffiti art. This
stark, black-on-white stencil shows a clearly hopeless angel. He or she is
holding a lit cigarette, with a bottle of alcohol at the feet. The wings and
halo still glow brightly, though, giving hope that this fallen angel will find
his or her way, just as many lost humans eventually find their way.
Angels existed long before man. According to the Bible, man was created in Gods image, just as angels. Unlike angels, man was granted a soul. Man had the ability to choose between right and wrong. Do Banksys angels reflect his vision of the humanity of angels or his vision of the angelic qualities in man?
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| Duality of Nature |
Duality
One constant in Banksys themes is that of
the duality of nature. Rats represent the worst side of humanity when one
considers the bubonic plague, fleas and other diseases that these creatures
carry. When one points his finger at the guilty party in a crime, he is said to
have ratted out" the real criminal. Conversely, rats are highly
intelligent. Like human beings, rats are also very social creatures. Rats
exhibit empathy for one another, which is more than can be said of some humans.
Rats and humans share many characteristics. It is up to the viewer to determine
which species is preferable.
Like rats, monkeys also have a duality of nature. In Chinese mythology, Sun Wukong is the Monkey King. He learned the art of magic and increased in strength until he overthrew the other gods and goddesses in Heaven and was imprisoned in rock by the Jade Emperor. Conversely, in Indian folklore, Hanuman the Monkey is revered for his loyalty, bravery and devotion to justice. In modern culture, Planet of the Apes" shows a tyrannical side of the simians, while Curious George" takes his handler on a series of innocent misadventures. The two sides of the nature of monkeys mirror the two sides of the nature of humans. Some humans, such as the Zodiac Killer, become mass murderers. Other humans, such as Mother Theresa, devote their lives to the service of others. The similar dual nature of both man and ape allows Banksy to use the two species interchangeably in many of his graffiti pieces.
Angels have shown both their duality of nature and their similarity to humans throughout recorded history. Ancient scrolls from the Book of Enoch detail the aberrant relationship between angels and humans. When the angels saw human women, they took a human form themselves in order to mate with the women. The resulting offspring, the Nephilim, were a race of giants, demonic and tyrannical. When speaking of a near-death incident one might say, My guardian angel saved me!" The phrase applies to a human when one is present and to an angel when one is not. Equally, Angel of Death" applies to the angel that God sent to kill the Egyptians holding Moses and his people hostage and to hospital nurses who kill patients in the dead of night.
So is it this duality that appeals to Banksy when he stencils rats, monkeys, and angels? Is it the age-old conflict between the oppressed and the oppressors that leads Banksy to root for the underdog " the rat that wins the race through national recognition, the monkey that ends up in charge, and the angel who finds redemption? Perhaps these symbols reflect Banksys optimism that everything has a positive side. Of course, they could just as easily reflect Banksys pessimism that everything has a dark side. Or perhaps, like the stenciled man in Banksys Boring", this analysis is simply trying to impart meaning where none exists.
Like rats, monkeys also have a duality of nature. In Chinese mythology, Sun Wukong is the Monkey King. He learned the art of magic and increased in strength until he overthrew the other gods and goddesses in Heaven and was imprisoned in rock by the Jade Emperor. Conversely, in Indian folklore, Hanuman the Monkey is revered for his loyalty, bravery and devotion to justice. In modern culture, Planet of the Apes" shows a tyrannical side of the simians, while Curious George" takes his handler on a series of innocent misadventures. The two sides of the nature of monkeys mirror the two sides of the nature of humans. Some humans, such as the Zodiac Killer, become mass murderers. Other humans, such as Mother Theresa, devote their lives to the service of others. The similar dual nature of both man and ape allows Banksy to use the two species interchangeably in many of his graffiti pieces.
Angels have shown both their duality of nature and their similarity to humans throughout recorded history. Ancient scrolls from the Book of Enoch detail the aberrant relationship between angels and humans. When the angels saw human women, they took a human form themselves in order to mate with the women. The resulting offspring, the Nephilim, were a race of giants, demonic and tyrannical. When speaking of a near-death incident one might say, My guardian angel saved me!" The phrase applies to a human when one is present and to an angel when one is not. Equally, Angel of Death" applies to the angel that God sent to kill the Egyptians holding Moses and his people hostage and to hospital nurses who kill patients in the dead of night.
So is it this duality that appeals to Banksy when he stencils rats, monkeys, and angels? Is it the age-old conflict between the oppressed and the oppressors that leads Banksy to root for the underdog " the rat that wins the race through national recognition, the monkey that ends up in charge, and the angel who finds redemption? Perhaps these symbols reflect Banksys optimism that everything has a positive side. Of course, they could just as easily reflect Banksys pessimism that everything has a dark side. Or perhaps, like the stenciled man in Banksys Boring", this analysis is simply trying to impart meaning where none exists.
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