For five days straight, enigmatic Banksy animal artworks have popped up around London. Today, a new mural featuring two pelicans appeared on the façade of Bonners Fish Bar in northeast London. As he has done with every new animal mural this week, Banksy appeared to claim responsibility for the pelicans via a captionless photo posted on his Instagram.
Banksy’s animal spree, now informally known as his “London zoo,” kicked off on Monday when the silhouette of a goat appeared on a building bordering Kew Green. This mural depicted the goat on a precarious perch with fragments of stone tumbling from its ledge. It incorporated a real-life CCTV, alluding to themes of surveillance and security.
On Tuesday, two elephants appeared on a pair of blocked-out windows in Chelsea. The next day, a new Banksy mural on Brick Lane in East London featured a trio of monkeys hanging off an overpass. On Thursday, a wolf howling at the moon was revealed on a satellite dish in Peckham, only to be stolen on the same day. The dramatic unveiling of these artworks in rapid succession has sparked speculation about the meaning of the series.
For years, Banksy has incorporated animals, such as monkeys or rats, into his politically charged artwork. In fact, the artist first gained notoriety while painting rats across London, which is now understood as a humorous commentary on urban decay and human flaws. Banksy has depicted monkeys in reference to the British government, portraying public figures such as Queen Elizabeth II as apes or depicting monkeys holding signs of protest.
Often satirical, Banksy is known for his work that engages with political or social issues. This sudden influx of works around London has sparked debate about the artist’s intentions. Observers have speculated as to whether the animals symbolize political instability, as suggested by the precarious perch of the goat. Others have interpreted Banksy’s focus on fauna as commentary on environmental issues. On Instagram, one user commented on Banksy’s photo of his latest pelican mural: “The [sic] are no more fish in the oceans. Birds are forces [sic] to fish in the city.”
