Elusive street artist Banksy has claimed responsibility for a new sculpture that appeared in central London, depicting a man striding off a plinth with his face obscured by a billowing flag. The artwork, which bears Banksy's signature, was installed on a traffic island in Waterloo Place, just off The Mall, in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the Press Association.
Location and Context
The sculpture is situated on a plinth in Waterloo Place, a location Banksy described as having “a bit of a gap.” It stands near statues of King Edward VII, Florence Nightingale, and the Crimean War Memorial. The artist revealed the unsolicited monument early on Wednesday but only claimed it a day later.
Banksy's Artistic Legacy
Banksy, whose true identity remains officially unconfirmed, is renowned globally for politically charged murals. Notable works include Girl With Balloon (2002), Love Is In The Air (2003), and Kissing Coppers (2004). In December, he claimed a two-figure artwork on a building in Bayswater, London. In September, a mural depicting a protester lying on the ground with a blood-spattered placard, overshadowed by a judge wielding a gavel, appeared on the Queen's Building at the Royal Courts of Justice. That piece was swiftly covered and guarded before removal, with many interpreting it as a comment on the arrest of hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters.
