Walls of Banksy

One of his most iconic artworks, Girl with Balloon depicts a young girl who reaches out to a heart shaped balloon that is just out of reach, her hair and dress appearing to be blown by a gust of wind. This work was graffitied on London's Waterloo Bridge, with the phrase "There is always hope". 

There is ambiguity in this piece, be it an image of childhood freedom as she intentionally releases the balloon, or of despair as she loses her grip on the balloon.

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This piece symbolises both childhood innocence and of hope even during tough times. 

Another one of his iconic artworks, Love is in the Air depicts a young man, dressed as a militant, with a baseball cap and bandana covering his face, throwing a bouquet of flowers. This act mimics the throwing of a grenade or a Molotov cocktail. 

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While his posture appears aggressive, he holds on to flowers instead of a weapon, as though launching the symbol of love and peace. 

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This work features his oeuvre in political activism, representing a powerful call for peace. 

Choose Your Weapon portrays British youth and gang culture, who utilizes aggressive dogs as weapons for power. Banksy depicts the dog in a naive, almost endearing style, detaching the of it as a weapon. The hooded man's menacing appearance contrasts against his casual stance and the cartoon dog. 

Gangsta Rat depicts a black and white rat wearing the New York Mets baseball cap, chain necklace, and carrying a ghetto blaster. It portrays the New York underground style in the UK during the 1980s and 1990s. 

Heavy Weaponry depicts an elephant with a rocket strapped to its back. The elephant strolls forward, seemingly unfazed by the weapon of destruction on its back, heavy with irony.

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The message is one of anti-military. The symbol of the elephant resonates with other famous Banksy works representing animals or ordinary people face-to-face the establishment and the military. 

Bomb Love depicts a young girl hugging a bomb like it is a soft toy. It contrasts the innocence and purity of the naive, young smiling girl with the violence and destruction of bombs. The work also induces a sense of anxiety as we are unsure when the weapon she is holding might explode. 

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The message portrays our society's love for warfare, with large corporations manufacturing and selling weapons of mass destructions almost as if they were toys. 

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The other message behind this could be one of love - that love can prevail over war and violence, as though the girl can stop the bomb through her embrace.

Laugh Now depicts a monkey wearing a sandwich board, appearing as though oppressed or enslaved. Monkeys are often used by Banksy as a satire of the nature of mankind. 

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The message of this artwork is a criticism of the way humans have been treating animals, poaching, capturing, for entertainment or medical testing. The text is mocking and threatening, almost as though it is preparing an uprising. It both serves as a humorous satire and also a warning to humans. 

Rocket Dog depicts a dog pointing a bazooka towards a 19th century gramophone. It is a commentary on the old-fashioned nature of the music industry, which the dog is bringing own. 

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He appropriates the logo of the British popular music and entertainment firm created in the 1920s. It symbolizes past generations and conservatism, which the dog is going to destroy to make way for new music.

Golf Sale is a reinterpretation of the iconic photograph taken during the Tiananmen Square massacre. The "Golf Sale" is made in the placards often seen around London's Oxford Street.

Barcode Leopard shows a leopard escaping from a cage resembling a barcode on wheels. 

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This work is a criticism of the way humans use animals for our own entertainment, creating zoos and seaparks. It brings attention to the illegal trade and commodification of wildlife, with the poaching for materials and entrapment of them.

Soup Can is a parody of Andy Warhol's famous Campbell Soup paintings and prints, using the brand of Tesco Value range instead of Campbell.

Trolley Hunters features 3 prehistoric men in the desert, holding weapons, ready to attack their targets of trolleys. 

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It critiques capitalism through its satire on the impact of consumerism on modern men. It mocks contemporary society's dependance on products offered by giant supermarkets to survive. 

Flag shows a group of children and young adults standing in victory on top of a burned out car, raising the American flag. They are portrayed as the disenfranchised urban youths, referencing the iconic photograph Raising the Flag depicting six US Marines stop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Stop and Search portrays a storyline from Wizard of Oz, with Dorothy and her dog Toto. The police officer is searching through Dorothy's basket and appears to be questioning her about something found in her basket.

Nola depicts a girl being drenched in rain from inside her umbrella, a reference to Hurricane Katrina's devastation, amplified by the failure of flood defenses to protect the citizens. An umbrella is meant to protect the individual from the elements, but the rain is falling from within the umbrella instead, suggesting that institutions that were created to protect us can do the opposite. 

Donut features a donut on top of a police van, escorted by police officers on motorbikes. It is another critique of American consumerism, with the law enforcement appearing to be protecting and revering this icon of Western society's consumerism.

Seasons Greetings depicts a happy child catching snowflakes in his mouth for Christmas time, only for viewers to realize the other part of the mural is a burning trash bin, and the snowflakes are actually dirty ashes from the bin.

Embracing Couple is a commission for the cover art of the English rock band Blur's Think Tank album. It depicts lovers in a passionate hug, estranged by their diving helmets, a reference to the shrouded lovers in Magritte's The Lovers.

Ice Cream Van is a gift to all those who helped with Banksy's seminal exhibit in his hometown of Bristol, Banksy vs. Bristol Museum (2009).

Dismaland is a parody of Disneyland, adding a sinister twist to it. 

Peckam Rock is an artwork in the form of a lump of concrete decorated in the style of a cave painting, depicting a prehistoric figure pushing a shopping trolley. 

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It was originally displayed in the British Museum, without the knowledge of the museum staff, after being installed there by Banksy.

Placard Rats Series is a trilogy featuring Because I'm Worthless, Get Out While You Can, Welcome to Hell. The inspiration behind the series comes from "Get Out While You Can" by George Marshall, explaining how to find a way out of "salary slavery" and "rat race". 

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A number of variations have been painted by Banksy, leading to the rodent becoming a signature motif for the artist.

Love Rat shows Banksy's iconic rodent painting a red heart onto the wall. The dripping red paint implies a bleeding heart, reminding us of love's potential to induce pain and suffering as well as joy and pleasure. 

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Banksy promoted the release of this as an ideal gift for a cheating spouse. 

Grin Reaper is one of Banksy's earliest known street artworks. It appeared around the Old street and Shoreditch neighbourhoods in the early 2000s. Most of these works were covered up during London'd 2007 anti-graffiti sweep.

Heart Boy depicts a life-sized image of a boy holding a brush, positioned beside a vibrant pink heart, tells a tale of innocence and expression amidst the city's grey backdrop.

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The heart, a universal symbol of love, is rendered with an urgency that suggests a need to affirm its place in the cityscape. This work underscores Banksy's belief in the power of art to reclaim and humanise public space, offering passersby a moment of connection and reflection. The piece suggests that spontaneous artistic expressions, such as the heart—a universal symbol of love—can humanise and reclaim public spaces, offering a beacon of connection and reflection for city dwellers.