The citizens of London, England woke up to an unexpected surprise. A large statue made of apparently perishable material appeared on the morning of Thursday 30 April in Waterloo Place, in the center of the English metropolis. The work, which depicts a man with his face covered by a flag, bears Banksy’s signature on the base, although official confirmation of the connection with the elusive Bristol street artist is still missing.
The statue in central London
The work appears to be inspired by the monumental style of the surrounding statues, dedicated to King Edward VII (son of Queen Victoria), the benefactor Florence Nightingale and the fallen of the Crimean War, but portrays an ordinary man in modern clothes. The figure, in a suit and tie, waves a flag that completely covers his face.
The statue signed “Banksy” appeared in Waterloo Place in London (Photo LaPresse)
Banksy’s identity
This is the first public tribute to the British artist, famous for his graffiti created clandestinely all over the world. The work comes after an investigation by Reuters, in recent months, seems to have confirmed his identity: that, never made official, of Robin Gunningham, born in Bristol in 1973.