[Elusive and Ubiquitous] A List of Banksy’s Works: The Creations of the Mysterious Artist Who Astonishes the World
Banksy is an artist whose paintings suddenly appear on city walls, yet he never shows himself.
His works, which spark conversation around the world, are filled with sharp social satire directed at us and warm messages to people.
Many of you may have found yourselves captivated by these pieces at some point.
In this article, we’ll introduce a list of works by the enigmatic artist Banksy.
Alongside the famous pieces everyone knows, you might also discover a work that truly resonates with you.
- [Can You Guess?] A Collection of Difficult Prompts for the Gesture Game
- [For Elementary School Students] Recommended Riddle Collection
- Surprise! Trick Art Design Ideas Recommended for the School Culture Festival
- Classic plays performed by elementary school students: recommended works roundup
- Ranking of Popular Surprise/Prank Ideas
- Collection of gesture game ideas and prompts
- Magic using drawings and illustrations. Recommended tricks for parties and performances.
- Craft projects recommended for adult hobbies: a stylish and cute collection of works
- Ideas for the Telepathy Game: From Classic Crowd-Pleasers to Unexpected Topics
- Funny senryu poems composed by junior high school students: introducing outstanding works that will make you burst out laughing
- Craft ideas for a children's association Christmas party: a collection of easy and exciting projects
- How do you see it? A roundup of psychology tests using illustrations
- Recommended riddles for elementary school students. A collection of kid-friendly riddles.
[Elusive] A List of Banksy’s Works! Pieces by the Mysterious Artist That Astonish the World (1–10)
Think TankBanksy
This is a famous work designed by Banksy for the album cover of the British rock band Blur.
The image of a man and woman wearing masks that cover their faces, facing each other and embracing, serves as a visual symbol of environmental issues and the state of contemporary society.
By choosing the medium of a CD jacket rather than a street wall, the message reached music fans as well.
It is a piece that conveys the appeal of both music and art, created by an artist who rarely takes on client work.
Umbrella RatBanksy
This is a piece discovered in 2019 on a storm surge door in Tokyo Bay, depicting a rat standing with an umbrella.
The rats Banksy draws are known to symbolize the weak and those at the bottom of society, and in this work the figure protecting itself from the rain has a certain humor, conveying a vitality that confronts adversity.
As with the rat series painted on walls around the world, it communicates a sense of freedom as if traveling, along with irony directed at society.
The location where it was painted also evokes the meaning of graffiti, expressing a spirit of resistance that seems to cross over walls and doors.
Borodianka, UkraineBanksy
In November 2022, Banksy traveled through Ukrainian cities ravaged by war and painted a total of seven murals.
The most famous among them is this one, “Judo Throw.” If you look closely, the adult black-belt judoka resembles Russian President Vladimir Putin.
If that’s the case, the boy throwing him could be a metaphor for Ukraine.
The series was so striking that Ukrainian Post adopted it for stamps, and it became art that resonated with many people.
It’s a quintessential Banksy work that satirizes society.
[Elusive] A List of Banksy’s Works! Pieces by the Mysterious Artist That Astonish the World (11–20)
Donkey DocumentsBanksy
This is a piece painted in 2007 on the 8-meter wall that divides Israel and Palestine, where conflict has long persisted.
It depicts a soldier checking a donkey’s identification papers, conveying a message that laments the division of the region.
Because the soldier is Israeli, some perceived it as an insult to Palestinians, and there are accounts that the section of wall with the artwork was cut out and put up for auction.
The fact that a message to a conflict zone was turned into an artwork cut out and sold in a distant place sparked controversy, making this a work that became a catalyst for debate.
Game ChangerBanksy
This piece, depicting a small child playing with a nurse doll, was created during the period when COVID-19 was spreading.
Next to the child is a superhero figure, conveying that amid the pandemic, healthcare workers—nurses and others—were the real heroes, more so than the well-known champions of justice.
When Banksy donated this work to a hospital in the UK, he reportedly included a message expressing his respect for healthcare workers and hoping the painting would help lift people’s spirits, even just a little.
NapalmBanksy
It’s a work that even conveys a sense of eeriness: Mickey Mouse, Donald, and a child with a pained expression are holding hands.
The girl in the center is Kim Phuc, who, at nine years old during the Vietnam War in 1972, lost both her clothing and skin to napalm—this is where the title “Napalm” takes on its meaning.
Mickey Mouse represents Disney and Donald represents McDonald’s, both depicted as symbols of capitalism.
The piece criticizes the Vietnam War’s stated aim of protecting capitalism from communism and delivers a message pointing out the contradictions of capitalism and calling for anti-war sentiment.
PARKINGBanksy
This is a piece created in 2010 on a wall next to a parking lot in Los Angeles, USA.
The word ‘PARKING’ is faded as if the ‘ING’ has been erased, and a girl is playing on a swing hanging from the letter ‘A.’ By removing ‘ING’ from ‘PARKING,’ it becomes ‘PARK,’ creating a contrast between a parking lot and a park.
It clearly expresses lament and criticism over how playground parks are gradually disappearing and being replaced by impersonal parking lots.