We’re looking at a series of animals appearing overnight. A goat, two elephants, a howling monkey, and a pelican, all sprayed onto quiet street corners.
Each one looks slightly out of place. The goat is perched on a narrow ledge far above the street. The elephants are pressed up against a row of empty windows.
It feels like a zoo that has suddenly escaped. Or maybe it’s more like we are the ones who have been locked inside our own little world.
Why the Animals?
First, let’s be honest: Banksy loves a good animal. He has used them for years to make us think without making us feel lectured.
Remember his gorilla holding up a sign? Or the fox wearing a stolen wallet? He uses critters because we don’t have the same defenses against them as we do against human faces.
When you see a sad chimp, you don’t argue. You just feel a little sting of empathy. That’s the whole trick.
