Published 11:23 IST, February 14th 2020
Banksy's latest Valentine's Day graffiti depicts 'innocence and violence'
British street artist Banksy reportedly painted a new mural in the town of Bristol that showed a small girl with a catapult and red flowers.
With people celebrating Valentine's Day on February 14, British street artist Banksy reportedly painted a new mural in the town of Bristol that showed a small girl with a catapult and red flowers. According to reports, the British artist has not confirmed if he made the mural or not.
Splatter created out of plastic leaves and flowers
The wall graffiti showcased a young girl wearing a headscarf, holding a catapult in one hand with the other hand behind her. The mural looks as if the girl was launching a projectile at the set of red flowers above her. At the end of the catapult's trajectory, is a red coloured splatter created out of plastic leaves and flowers.
According to reports, the mural was painted on the wall of a house located in Barton Hill, Bristol and was seen by people on February 13. Banksy is known as a street artist whose art attracts attention to social issues. He showcases such themes by incorporating elements of darkness to his work.
An attempt to highlight social issues
One of his posts that made the headlines in December 2019 was that of a reindeer pulling away from a homeless man on what looks like to be a street-bench sleigh. The artist was trying to show the difficulties that homeless people face when they live on the streets.
It is popularly believed that St Valentine was a priest from Rome during the third century. Back then, a Roman Emperor Claudius II had banned marriages because he thought married men were bad soldiers. St. Valentine, however, thought this was unfair and so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret. He would wear a ring with a cupid on it and that’s how soldiers would recognise him and sent gifts and flowers through him to their loved ones. He was then known as the patron saint of love.
Updated 11:23 IST, February 14th 2020