A laudatory reference to himself or an environmental protest? Fans are left confused by meaning of Banksy’s spray-painted goat in west London
There are many theories about the meaning of Banksy’s latest artwork.
Crowds have already flocked to Kew Bridge in west London to see the latest artwork by the elusive guerrilla artist, which appeared on the side of a building this week.
It shows the silhouette of a goat balancing on some masonry, looking down at the floor as the rubble crumbles from the abyss, all of which appears to be happening under the watchful eye of a security camera positioned to the right of the goat.
Banksy, in his usual vague manner, confirmed that he was responsible, posting an image of it on his Instagram page, with no caption offering further explanation.
It has once again paved the way for his fan base to openly offer a range of suggestions about its meaning, some rooted in social and political commentary, while others are less serious.
Several people said the artwork symbolises the plight of refugees and migrants in the UK.
Banksy has unveiled a new artwork featuring a goat on a wall in West London
Workers move a CCTV camera back to its original position after Banksy modified it
Fans take photos of new Banksy artwork – with different theories about its meaning
A man appears to take a selfie with the Banksy goat, which has appeared on a wall in West London
A fan wrote: ‘Nowhere to seek safety, no privacy.
“The eyes of the world are upon you. You have climbed into what you thought was a safe place, only to find that you have no way out.”
Another theorized, “The goat represents the rebellious spirit of those who feel marginalized or oppressed, and who fight against perceived injustices and systemic problems. It also symbolizes the scapegoating of certain groups in times of social unrest.”
‘The CCTV camera highlights the increased surveillance and control measures implemented by the state in response to the riots. It symbolizes the government’s attempt to maintain order and assert authority, reflecting the tension between state power and civil liberties.
‘The goat’s precarious position on the edge reflects the fragile state of British society, which is teetering on the brink of chaos due to the recent unrest.
‘This positioning indicates the limitations and vulnerabilities of both the protesters and the authorities. It raises the question of the extent to which individuals can resist societal restrictions and the extent to which the state can exert control without increasing tensions.
‘Overall, the artwork critiques the current social and political climate in the UK. It highlights the conflict between the desire for change and the state’s efforts to maintain order, and urges a deeper consideration of the root causes of unrest and the balance between security and freedom.
‘It calls for a dialogue on addressing these issues, with respect for individual rights and freedoms.’
Another person wrote, referring to the recent riots at asylum seeker hotels across the country: ‘Just like the poor families who are now hiding in those hotels as their foundations are being destroyed.’
Someone else claimed that the piece was a reference to society’s shortsightedness: ‘The camera looks at the falling rocks, rather than what caused them.
‘Goats are used to climbing on narrow ledges, so it’s not dangerous, but the camera image doesn’t give the full picture.
“I suspect what is being referred to is the need to understand that news needs context before an opinion can be formed.”
The global conflict also came up in the discussion on Banksy’s Instagram page.
A fan wrote: ‘My interpretation, which could be wrong. The endangered Palestinian mountain gazelle is the national animal of Palestine.
‘The world watches as it teeters on the edge. Limited time to save it.’
And someone else claimed it might be a reference to climate change.
She wrote: ‘Humans are the unresponsive camera watching all of nature in danger. There is no other place for life (nature) to go. We have done this.
‘And yet we have removed ourselves from being present and responsible or empathetic. Thank you Banksy.’
Someone cheekily suggested that fans were overthinking it, writing: ‘There are a lot of comments questioning the meaning of this… it could be as simple as Banksy thinking a goat would look cool up there!!!’
And another one posted irreverently: ‘Banksy is the GOAT’ – an acronym ubiquitous in popular culture meaning ‘the greatest of all time’.
In a similar vein, but in a more sober tone, one commentator wrote: ‘My interpretation: the UK was once the best, but now stands on a cliffhanger with the world watching.’
The artwork is Banksy’s first since a stunt at Glastonbury Festival in June, in which an inflatable rubber dinghy filled with dolls dressed as migrants was thrown into the crowd, seen live on the BBC.
It happened during a performance by alternative hit Idles, who led the crowd in a chant of ‘f*** the king’. It was also broadcast live on BBC Four as part of their coverage of the long-running music and arts festival in Somerset.
Many fans on the Other Stage, traditionally seen as the alternative to the flagship Pyramid Stage, felt the inflatable life raft, carrying a number of seated puppets in fluorescent vests, was a showpiece for their politically charged headline performance.
The piece has now become something of a tourist attraction
The artist confirmed on his Instagram page that he was responsible for the goat stencil
Banksy was responsible for a stunt involving small boats at the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset in June
In March, the artist created a mural of a tree near Finsbury Park in north London, cutting down a tree and spraying green paint behind it to give the impression of foliage.
Banksy’s work ‘Love Is In The Bin’ self-destructed in 2018 at Sotheby’s, London
But an Idles spokesman said the boat had been made by Banksy, a fellow Bristolian, and that the band only became aware of what had happened after they left the stage.
The demonstration was seen as a tribute to Rishi Sunak’s tough approach to the small boat crisis.
The then Home Secretary, James Cleverly, called it a ‘trivialisation’ of small boat crossings and ‘dirty’, but the artist responded by saying his reaction was ‘a bit of an exaggeration’.
The graffiti artist previously funded a migrant rescue ship that was detained in Italy last year after responding to distress signals in the Mediterranean.
In March this year, another Banksy appeared overnight on the side of a building near Finsbury Park.
There was a green spot painted behind a bare tree to look like foliage. Next to it was a stencil of a person holding what looked like a high-pressure hose.
Subsequently, crowds of Banksy fans flocked to the site, wanting to catch a glimpse.
But within three days the mural had been defaced with white paint, prompting the local council to erect a metal safety fence to protect it from further damage.
According to the Mail on Sunday, Banksy is Robin Gunningham, a middle-class artist who has repeatedly refused to confirm his identity.
His reputation is built on the popularity of his signature stencil art in public spaces, including on walls in London, Brighton, Bristol and even on the West Bank barrier that separates Israelis and Palestinians.
Dozens of famous collectors have acquired his work, including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Christina Aguilera, and his work regularly sells for hundreds of thousands of pounds.
He is also known for his high-profile stunts, such as leaving a blow-up doll dressed as a Guantanamo prisoner at Disneyland, California, and hanging a version of the Mona Lisa—but with a smiley face—in the Louvre in Paris.
His artwork Girl With Balloon self-destructed in 2018 at a Sotheby’s auction house in London when it ended up in a shredder.
That work was subsequently renamed Love Is In The Bin and sold in 2021 for £18.6 million, a record price for Banksy’s work.