While the eyes of the world were focused on the results of the French presidential election, Banksy revealed his latest street piece in coastal town of Dover in the UK, just across Calais, France, where he was active 2 years ago (covered). Placed just across the city’s ferry terminal, the area of arrival for those coming from mainland Europe, the large mural shows a man chiseling off one of the stars from the EU flag. The blue flag with its 12 yellow stars has been inspiration for many artists over the years (Maismenos‘ or BLU‘s works come to mind), but the elusive British artist took a more comprehensive approach and created an exceptionally effective piece.
The mural was completed over the weekend at an abandoned building on York Street, just off A20 motorway, and was created while covered in tarp, looking like construction was taking place. Once the materials were removed, a large art piece was revealed. The image shows solitary character on top of a tall ladder, removing one of the yellow stars, but also creating large cracks that threaten the rest of the composition. This subtle element, pretty much invisible from a distance, is arguably the strongest part of the work, symbolizing the effect of Brexit on the rest of the union. While the image itself might not be his most original, its timing, the size and the placement of the mural is what completes the work. Another significant element of this stunt was the timing for the reveal – the day of French presidential elections which were believed to be crucial for the future of EU.
Photo credit: The artist, Mel Lloyd & HANNAH MCKAY/REUTERS.
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