Nine days of work, but what do they mean?

Speculation about the inspiration behind Banksy’s nine-part series continues

EPA Someone photographs Banksy's artwork depicting a black gorilla on a silver metal shutter — Speculation about the inspiration behind Banksy’s nine-part series continues

World-famous graffiti artist Banksy has completed his animal trail after nine days of pop-up artworks across the capital ended with a piece about the shutters of the London Zoo.

Although all of the surprise pieces have now been revealed, speculation continues about their inspiration. What do they mean and how have they been received in the art and graffiti world?

Banksy’s latest work, outside London Zoo in Camden, north London, shows a gorilla opening the shutter to release a sea lion and birds, while other animals appear to watch from inside.

But the series of artworks was set in motion with a work on August 5 that seemed to show a goat perched on a ledge while rocks fall down on a wall in Kew Green in Richmond, south-west London.

This was quickly followed on August 6 by a work depicting two elephants grasping each other’s trunks, and on August 7 by three monkeys hanging from a railway bridge in Brick Lane, east London.

By the third day, there was a lot of speculation on the Internet about whether the series had a deeper meaning.

Could the black goat indicate that you are standing on the precipice of something bigger?

PA Media: The black silhouette of a goat stands on the external support structure of a building from which black-painted stones fall, and a security camera is pointed in its direction. — Could the black goat indicate that you are standing on the precipice of something bigger?

Perhaps the goat was a metaphor for being on the brink of a moment of change, or the two elephants were reaching out from different sides? Perhaps the three monkeys represented the “wise monkeys” in the famous Japanese proverb “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”?

The three monkeys hanging from a bridge is one of the few works that has not been defaced or removed.

PA Media Three black monkeys appear to be hanging from a grey concrete railway bridge in Brick Lane — The three monkeys hanging from a bridge is one of the few works that has not been defaced or removed.

The theories ranged from the series to social division amid the recent unrest, up to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

James Ryan, CEO of the Grove Gallery, which sells Banksy originals and prints, told BBC London that he initially believed the works had “politically charged and motivated messages, so the goat – references to Palestine and Gaza, and then the wolf crying for help – a kind of persecution”.

However, since the release of the last part, he is convinced that the series is about the theme of “imprisonment; captive animals”.

The final part of the series features a gorilla making the “great escape,” which explains why there were animals all over London, says Banksy expert James Peak

PA Media A black silhouette of a gorilla lifting a fence from which a sea lion and birds fly out — The final part of the series features a gorilla making the “great escape,” which explains why there were animals all over London, says Banksy expert James Peak

Mr Ryan added that while there were new elements to Banksy’s campaign, such as building momentum by posting a daily “teaser” on social media, there were also references to his previous work. For example, the gorilla image is reminiscent of his 2006 work “Sweep It Under the Carpet”, which depicts a maid with a dustpan and brush, also painted in north London.

Mr Ryan said parallels could be drawn between Banksy’s gorilla work and his 2006 work Sweep It Under The Carpet.

Getty Images Sweep It Under The Carpet on a wall in Camden. It shows a maid dressed in black and white with a dustpan and broom, who appears to be pulling up a painted wall to reveal the bricks behind it. — Mr Ryan said parallels could be drawn between Banksy’s gorilla work and his 2006 work Sweep It Under The Carpet.

His 2009 exhibition Banksy Vs Bristol Museum featured installations of animals performing human activities

Getty Images An installation of a monkey wearing a black beret painting from an easel — His 2009 exhibition Banksy Vs Bristol Museum featured installations of animals performing human activities

James Peak, BBC presenter The Banksy Storyexplained that animal welfare was “very close to the artist’s heart” and that he had “helped Greenpeace with a campaign several years ago.”

He said the artist had also incorporated environmental themes into his work in the past, writing on cardboard signs and throwing them into monkey enclosures at Longleat and Melbourne Zoo in Australia. “The monkeys would hold up pieces of cardboard and say things like ‘Please help me, I’m the victim of a cruel scientific experiment’ or even ‘I’m famous, get me out of here’.”

Banksy has long used rats, like this one, believed to have been painted in 2004 and now partially covered up by a sticker tagger, in his street art when he wants to make political or social commentary.

Getty Images Banksy's artwork — Banksy has long used rats, like this one, believed to have been painted in 2004 and now partially covered up by a sticker tagger, in his street art when he wants to make political or social commentary.

Sunday’s artwork, piranhas in a police emergency call box, has been taken to Guildhall Yard for “safe keeping”.

PA Media: A London police station in semi-transparent blue with piranhas in the water, next to green, red and white barriers and a worker in fluorescent yellow clothing — Sunday’s artwork, piranhas in a police emergency call box, has been taken to Guildhall Yard for “safe keeping”.

He added that Banksy campaigns “often only really make sense in reverse.”

This series could simply represent “the magnificent escape of the gorilla from London Zoo, which explains why so many animals have been in London over the last week,” he said.

Or it could have “a really serious underlying cause – perhaps that we are not doing enough to ensure that animals around the world have enough natural habitat,” he added.

The pieces were not without problems either.

The howling wolf sprayed on a satellite dish in Peckham, south-east London, was apparently taken by thieves.

A man walks away with the Banksy-decorated satellite dish in tow

PA Media A man walks away with a satellite dish with the silhouette of a howling wolf painted on it — A man walks away with the Banksy-decorated satellite dish in tow

Two more were removed by the London authorities. The first – a cat silhouette painted on a billboard in Edgware Road in Cricklewood – was dismantled for safety reasons.

The City of London Corporation said the other painting from August 11 – swimming piranhas on a City of London Police guardhouse – had been moved to Guildhall Yard for safe viewing.

The cat was removed by building contractors, one of whom said it was done in case someone “tore it down and left it unsafe.”

PA Media A black silhouette of a stretching cat painted on a dilapidated blank brown billboard — The cat was removed by building contractors, one of whom said it was done in case someone “tore it down and left it unsafe.”

Two more were defacedincluding the two elephants that were sprayed with white stripes.

However, it is the vandalism of the penultimate artwork, a rhinoceros (originally sitting on a Nissan Micra with a traffic cone on the bonnet) in Charlton, south-east London, that reignited an old feud between Banksy and his revered rival Robbo.

“SV”, which seems to stand for South Vandals, was sprayed over Banksy’s rhino

A black and grey painted rearing rhinoceros on a light brick wall, with a white “SV” sign sprayed over it — “SV”, which seems to stand for South Vandals, was sprayed over Banksy’s rhino

Ahmad Karkouti, of graffiti and street art podcast Arms House to Your Mums House, told BBC London that the white S or dollar sign and V sign stood for a local graffiti crew called South Vandals.

He added that he had received footage of the damage with the message “South Vandals 4 life! Team Robbo”.

Mr Karkouti explained that the late Robbo, who was from London, was inspired by the differences in the appreciation of socially accepted street art compared to traditional graffiti, which was widely viewed as vandalism.

While the hidden meanings and larger conflicts are still up for debate, one thing is clear to enthusiasts: Banksy has managed to capture the world’s attention – once again.

Mr Ryan said the series had “had the desired effect that he wanted” of “creating that theatre” that “confirmed” his status as a “trendsetter”.

Mr Peak agrees.

“This campaign lasted eight, nine days and it’s fantastic. The whole of London and the whole of Britain are talking about it.”

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