As protests against systemic racism and police brutality take place across the world, anonymous artist Banksy has shared a striking new artwork and heartfelt message. On his Instagram page, Banksy revealed the new artwork and addressed his followers directly. Initially silent when the protests first started, the artist believed now was the time to speak up.
"At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue," Banksy wrote on Instagram. "But why would I do that? It's not their problem. It's mine. People of colour are being failed by the system. The white system. Like a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. This faulty system is making their life a misery, but it's not their job to fix it. They can't—no-one will let them in the apartment upstairs."
Making his feelings abundantly clear, Banksy declared systemic racism a "white problem." Banksy added, "If white people don't fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in." The artwork features a black silhouette in a frame surrounded by flowers, reminiscent of a vigil, undoubtedly referencing unarmed black individuals victimized by fatal violence, such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. A candle near the side shows the American flag starting to burn.
Just last month, Banksy debuted new artwork that saw him pay tribute to nurses helping to fight the battle against the coronavirus. See Banksy's latest artwork via his Instagram post above.
