Banksy posted a photo to Instagram confirming authorship of a mural above garages on Queen’s Mews in Bayswater, west London. The piece depicts two children lying down, gazing at the sky in a poignant Christmas scene.
Artist Daniel Lloyd-Morgan told BBC the Bayswater location underscores child homelessness. “A lot of children are not having a good time at Christmas,” he noted, pointing out passersby ignoring it like street homeless.
Centre Point mural mystery
An identical artwork appeared on Friday outside Centre Point tower in central London, but Banksy representatives have not confirmed it. Centre Point symbolizes London’s homelessness crisis, vacant for over a decade post-1966 completion.
Homelessness charity Centrepoint drew its name from the tower, its founder, Rev Ken Leech, calling it “an affront to the homeless.” The site now houses multimillion-pound flats.
Expert sees recurring motif
Banksy expert Jason Tomkins calls it a “clear statement on homelessness.” He identifies one child as the boy from a 2018 Port Talbot mural catching snowflakes, unusual repetition for Banksy.
Lloyd-Morgan added the stargazing pose fits, evoking the North Star amid a busy area where people overlook the vulnerable.
Also read: Day 3: The anti-materialist Christmas traditions around the world
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