Rocio Mateos
Banksy has done it again. The British street artist has appeared in the town of Dover, England, taking on Brexit. A mural showing a worker chipping away one of the 12 gold stars on the flag of the EU.
The artwork appeared on Saturday, on the wall of the Castle Amusements building. in the Brexit-supporting port town near the ferry terminal, which connects the UK with continental Europe.
Banksy, whose identity remains a secret after years of subversive street art, confirmed his authorship sharing photographs of the mural on his official Instagram account. On Sunday – the day of the French presidential election. Pro-European Union candidate Emmanuel Macron won decisively. His representative also confirmed it was by Banksy.
The mural displays a large EU flag – a design adopted in 1955 that symbolizes the European unity with a circle of a dozen five-point yellow star – and a man in overalls up a ladder removing one of the 12 gold stars with a hammer and chisel. From the center of the chipped star emerge cracks that stretch across the blue flag.
Almost a year later where more than half of the British people voted to leave this union, the secretive artist’s piece of work appears to be the largest editorial cartoon about the Brexit.
The mural also appears at a time where the UK is getting ready to go to the polls, as Prime Minister Theresa May recently announced a snap general election on 8 June to strengthen the Brexit negotiating hand. “Division in Westminster will risk our ability to make a success of Brexit,” the Prime Minister said when she announced the elections.
Someone vandalized the mural
Just a day after the artwork appeared at the disused Dover amusement arcade, it has been already vandalized, Kent Live News reported.
The mural, which was reportedly valued at £1 million, was defaced in less than 24 hours. On the rungs of the ladder, the words “THE CLASH” written with spray paint. On top of it, the letter “A” is actually the anarchist “circle A” symbol.
It remains unclear whether this is in reference to the 70s punk band, whose second album opens with the song “Safe European Home.”
By now, there are no plans for protecting the artwork. The local authority said it would monitor it with CCTV, but that’s it. A council spokesman told the BBC: “We are aware of the continuing interest in the artwork attributed to Banksy Dover District Council doesn’t own the We have no other plans to take action to protect the artwork at this time,” he said.
social media users review the mural
After it was confirmed that the artwork was made by Banksy, social media took no long to offer its views.
One user wrote on Facebook, “I remember a time when he was ‘on to subject’ before anyone else or at least part of the first liners. Unfortunately this time, he is about 10 months too late and the artwork is truly … well obvious and uninnovative.” Another user wrote, “Another boring piece of ‘art’ from the left wing’s favorite millionaire luvvie.”
On the other side, a user cheered the strategic placement of the mural.
Huge, fabulous, strategically placed new Banksyesque graffiti in Dover on A20. Traffic leaving Dover Port will see this. pic.twitter.com/5duhXasUPx
— Mel Lloyd (@melelloyd) May 7, 2017
Banksy is known for his subversive, irreverent art, that focuses mainly in social problematics and political comment.
In 2015, the artist created four artworks, spotted at a migrant camp in Calais, France. Known as the Jungle, where refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and more lived while trying to make their way to Britain. One of these artworks features Apple founder Steve Jobs, referencing his background as the son of a Syrian migrant.
Earlier this year, the artist created the ‘Walled Off Hotel’, in Bethlehem. Close to the Israeli security barrier in the occupied West Bank. The guesthouse offered rooms as well as “the worst view in the world.”
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