Banksy’s Gorilla at the London Zoo. 2024

Walking through London’s streets today, it’s impossible to ignore the new wave of art that has cropped up—each piece a conversation starter, a headline, and a moment in time frozen by the anonymous genius of Banksy. As an artist whose journey has evolved from the realms of pop art to the more abstract, Banksy’s latest works resonate deeply with me, sparking thoughts on the power of evolution in our craft and the enduring connection between street art and its audience.

Banksy's new displays in London are a masterclass in minimalism blended with powerful messaging. Each of his pieces has a knack for reflecting the socio-political climate while holding a mirror to our daily lives. There’s a stark beauty in his ability to say so much with so little—whether it's a single silhouette or a playful twist on a well-known image. For me, this speaks to something I’ve always tried to emulate in my own work: blending the recognizable with the bold, forcing people to see the familiar in an entirely new light.

Take his new pieces, all statements that speaks to freedom, rebellion, and a critique of our ever-evolving society. In my early works, I focused on iconic figures—think James Dean or Marilyn Monroe—who embodied rebellion against the status quo. Banksy, however, takes this rebellious spirit and focuses it on institutions, making his art a vehicle for societal change rather than individualism alone. It’s this shift in perspective that I find particularly inspiring. While my journey from pop art into abstract is more personal, Banksy’s evolution is more outward, yet both of us seek to push boundaries, albeit from different angles.

His use of negative space and simple lines echo what I’ve been gravitating towards in my abstract works. What can you remove while still keeping the core of the message intact? How do you let the art breathe without overwhelming the viewer? These are questions Banksy seems to answer effortlessly in his new pieces, and it’s something I constantly grapple with when creating my own works. The less-is-more approach forces the viewer to engage more deeply, to fill in the blanks themselves, and ultimately, to find their own meaning in the art.

One of Banksy's more haunting new works, which features a goat isolated atop a cracking pedestal, reminds me of the transitional moments in my own artistic development. When I first began transitioning into abstract, it felt like I was painting over the cracks of my previous styles, searching for something more raw and authentic. Banksy’s piece feels like a visual manifestation of that inner struggle. It’s chaotic but calculated, broken yet beautiful—just as the journey of every artist should be.

While Banksy has become synonymous with social commentary, his new works also remind us of the importance of playfulness in art. It’s easy to get bogged down in the heaviness of our messages, but there’s always room for wit and whimsy. In my own art, especially when I was working heavily in the pop art space, I would use humor and irony to connect with the audience. Banksy does this so effortlessly—it’s a reminder that no matter how serious the subject matter, there’s always room for a little levity.

As I reflect on Banksy’s latest displays, I’m reminded of the cyclical nature of art. We influence each other, we challenge each other, and in doing so, we grow. Banksy’s work in London has reignited that creative spark in me to continue pushing the boundaries of what my art can say and how it can connect. His displays are not just about making a statement—they’re about evolving with the world around us, just as I strive to do in my own artistic journey.

London feels a bit brighter and a bit more raw with these new pieces scattered throughout. Banksy’s latest displays are a testament to street art’s enduring power to disrupt, engage, and inspire—much like the city itself. And as an artist, I can only hope to carry forward that same spirit of evolution and rebellion, always looking to the streets for inspiration, while finding new ways to make the familiar feel fresh again.

Street Art's Evolution: Banksy’s Latest in London Through My Eyes