LONDON, May 5. /TASS/. The statue in central London, installed by the anonymous British street artist Banksy, has become a pilgrimage site for fans and tourists, a TASS correspondent has confirmed.
The installation is located on Waterloo Place in Westminster, a few hundred meters from Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. The sculpture depicts a man in a business suit striding forward with a fluttering flag in his hands. The flag, however, covers his face, and he appears unaware that his left foot is already hanging over the edge of a precipice.
People are constantly gathering around the pedestal, which is cordoned off, to take photos and selfies with the statue in the background. A group of tourists from the Middle East approaches from Regent Street, as a tour guide explains Banksy’s work and points out the artist’s signature at the base.
Political analogies
The sculpture was unveiled on April 29 near monuments to King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Florence Nightingale, and the Crimean War memorial, though attention is now focused almost entirely on the new work. Banksy posted a video on his social media showing the installation, confirming his authorship.
The Daily Telegraph published a cartoon depicting Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the style of Banksy’s work, portraying him as heading toward defeat in the May 7 regional elections while carrying the flag of the ruling Labour Party. Several opinion polls point to a similar outcome.
Who are you, Mr. Gunningham?
This is not the first statue in London attributed to Banksy. In 2004, he unveiled a sculpture titled The Drunkard, a playful take on The Thinker, which was stolen shortly afterward.
Banksy, who has kept his identity secret for many years, is considered one of the most popular artists of his time. His most expensive painting, Love Is in the Bin, sold in 2021 for 18.6 million pounds ($25.4 million at the time). In March, Reuters reported that Banksy was born Robin Gunningham and later adopted the pseudonym David Jones.