Courting Controversy | Five of Banksy’s Most Divisive Pieces

Love him or hate him, one thing’s certain: Banksy knows how to capture public attention. From large-scale commentary on social injustice to smaller works echoing harrowing world events, his work always provides a talking point. We’ve rounded up a few of his hardest hitters…

I Predict a Riot – Petrol Bombs Ahoy! Tesco Petrol Bomb, Bristol

Way before Covid, the war in Ukraine and an escalating climate crisis filled the news, the UK had another preoccupation: the prolific opening of Tesco Metro stores. Back in 2011, one such shop in Bristol was the starting point for an anti-capitalist riot thought to be sparked by heavy-handed police tactics, which saw four arrested for making petrol bombs. Banksy responded with a nod to his anarchist roots, producing a ‘souvenir poster’ of the riots which featured a smoking Tesco Value petrol bomb.

It wasn’t the first time that the artist had highlighted alleged police brutality in the area: one of Banksy’s earliest murals was The Mild Mild West, a 1998 piece on a Stokes Croft wall that shows a teddy throwing a molotov cocktail at riot police. The piece was a response to police busts at illegal raves across the city.

Dover's Big Whitewash – Banksy Undercover

The most controversial thing about Banksy’s Brexit-based mural in the port of Dover? What exactly happened to it. Appearing overnight back in 2019, the piece depicted a decorator chipping away at one of the stars of the EU flag. But soon after it had appeared, it disappeared again – covered in white paint. For a seaside town that had seen better times, it was a disaster: Testament to Banksy’s cachet, tourists had been travelling to Dover especially to see the piece. Blame was attributed by various sources: it was thought to be the work of the council, the influential local Godden Family (who own the site), or even Banksy himself. Perhaps it was just some particularly staunch anti-Europeans. And, though it was hoped that the mural could be revived, this now seems sadly impossible.

The work isn’t the only one of the artist’s Brexit pieces to have caused a stir: In 2018, Banksy anonymously submitted Vote to Love (a painting based on literature from the Vote To Leave campaign) to the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition and it was refused. Resubmitting it again in his real (pseudo)name got it accepted, highlighting the art world’s reliance on big brand value.

Falling to Pieces – Girl with a Balloon Gets a Name Change

It’s impossible to write a piece about Banksy and controversy without mentioning that shredded piece. In a now infamous stunt, Girl With A Balloon was half turned to spaghetti in 2018, just after it had been auctioned at Sotheby’s for the record price of £1.04million (with premium). The auction house denied all knowledge of the prank while Banksy hinted via Instagram that he’d actually intended to shred much more of the piece but his machinery had malfunctioned. The stunt stunned the world, spawned 30,000 press articles – and made the work even more valuable: in October 2021, a renamed Love Is In The Bin came to auction once more and a fierce bidding war saw it raise more than triple its high estimate, reaching £18,582,000.

In Retail – Trademark Wars in Croydon

Back in 2019, Banksy decided to set up shop in a particularly run-down part of down-at-heel Croydon. GrossDomesticProduct was an answer to the long-running trademark war that had dogged the artist for a while. When a greetings card company used his pseudonym to sell their products, Banksy was told he too needed to vend something in order to have a right to it. But in actuality, nobody turning up in Croydon could walk away with a Banksy: instead, they were directed to a website and asked “why does art matter?”. Answers that caught the attention of comedian Adam Bloom were rewarded with bona fide works from just £10 each with a delayed certification from Pest Control in order to prevent flipping. The shop drew some criticism from the art world, particularly as it included novelty items such as mugs and cushions alongside more traditional works. Some questioned the wisdom of selling merchandise in order to question consumerism, thereby extending an argument that has been raging since the days of Warhol and Haring.

Scare BNB – The Walled Off Hotel

When Banksy’s hotel first opened overlooking the West Bank Barrier, some critics decried exploitation of the local people. But the artist’s motivation was a genuine intention to shine a spotlight on the area and the wider Israel/Palestine conflict, as well as the colonial decisions that had, in part, created the current situation. “It’s exactly one hundred years since Britain took control of Palestine and started re-arranging the furniture – with chaotic results,” he said in a statement. “I don’t know why but it felt like a good time to reflect on what happens when the United Kingdom makes a huge political decision without fully comprehending the consequences.”

The hotel ensures that a spotlight remains focused on the area, thanks to rooms customised by artists including Banksy himself, a gallery for Palestinian talent and musical entertainment from Jarvis Cocker.

Hang-Up Gallery specialises in works by Banksy. To speak to a gallery staff about the artist and his pieces, contact us.