Banksy's animal journey

This article is going to date - rapidly - because it discusses current and likely fast moving events. But for me, that's OK; I think it's part of the joy to speculatively write about current events and see how they turn out. As far as I am concerned, this is a good creative and fun learning exercise. Let's see how it pans out, eh?

First things first. I am definitely no authority on the well-known anonymous street artist going by the tag 'Banksy'. I wouldn't even dare to call myself even the slightest bit knowledgeable about art at all, let alone contemporary street art.

So why share, and invite you to read? Because of an unsolicited personal inspirational moment that occurred to me today that I thought would be interesting to write about. I think it may inform us a little about motivation, and about the human condition. These are definitely my soap-box topics.

What's going on? This may seem a little parochial but Banksy has recently unveiled - in the past three days as of this writing - three new stencil-style silhouette pieces in and around London, UK. They are certainly turning plenty of heads, and all seem to be of a piece or theme. To me they seem to be conveying a message.

None of them are captioned - the artist hasn't volunteered any interpretation. In my admittedly very limited experience of the genre this usually means the work's creator is inviting us to make the effort to work out our meaning for ourselves. To create an understanding for ourselves; to participate in the artist's work. The audience, then, becomes a part of the art piece.

Maybe then by writing this article I am myself participating in a small modest way about Banksy's recent project. Not that I am really kidding myself!

The first piece to be revealed, on the side of a house, depicts a mountain goat, peering over the edge of a sheer precipice, with a scattering of rocks falling down one side of the pinnacle on which it is perched into the unknown void. Seems scary!

In his second of the three pieces, Banksy has created two silhouettes of elephant heads facing each other, each one in a blanked out window in the side of a house in Chelsea, London. The trunk of each elephant reaches for the other, seemingly questing, inquisitive. It would appear that the gap between the two elephants could be bridged, were their trunks to extend to their fullest extent.

Finally, Banksy's third piece - to date! - in his series is of a troupe of three monkeys following each other in a line as they appear to swing from a horizontal pole, created on the side of a railway bridge in east London. To me, there are two aspects in particular to notice about this work: firstly, that they all seem to be going in the same direction, but using different means and methods to get there. Secondly, they seem to be having fun doing so: the piece has a light-hearted air to it.

One goat, two elephants, three monkeys; created over three days. Seems it really does suggest that tomorrow a fourth piece might appear, this time containing four alike animals. Oh and it does appear to be all about animals, doesn't it?

This is the point in my article where things really start getting speculative. The possibility of getting it wrong is quite large, but that doesn't bother me as I like to explore the direction inspiration seems to be leading me, and find out from unfolding events in the next few days if there is any merit in my train of thought. For me, it's great fun!

There's a well-known device through which an artist or author can create a piece about persons or people, without getting personal, or identifying their subjects too closely. This is where the appearance and behaviour of animals suggest a resemblance to human appearance or behaviour, in ways that still charmingly maintain their animal characteristics but at the same time extend them to link to human behaviour.

Here then I think Banksy has personified these animals to create a theme or message.

There's something about each of these animal creations that maybe Banksy is using to convey a message. Let's look at each one again in turn.

The goat on the precipice appears at first sight to be insecure. There's not a lot of room left at the top, and steep drops to an unknown depth each side. Rocks fall and clatter below as the goat shifts its position. But then, we know that mountain goats have no trouble at all about keeping their footing, in seemingly impossible situations. It's their special skill: their super-power. So, actually, contrary to first impressions, the goat seems to be alright.

Now, about those elephants. Questing, they seem to be unsure as they greet each other. Maybe they've forgotten or are unsure about who the other elephant is? And the distance does seem tantalisingly large - just out of reach, or within touching distance? We are not sure. Wait a moment, though - what is an elephant's super-power? They are very social animals, with famously long memories. How likely is it that they could forget another? Maybe then this is more about old friends joyously greeting each other; maybe we can be more sure the gap will be bridged.

Third, that line of monkeys going about their business. Just from first impressions, it might appear that their actions are completely random: one is dangling by an arm, another is swinging and about to grasp the pole with their second hand, and the third dangling by its tail! What is going on with these monkeys? What strikes me most when I look at this representation is how creative these monkeys are being. They all seem to be moving from left to right across the picture, but each in their individual styles. A unity of purpose in their diversity of actions, perhaps.

So, then, for me the goat is sure footed in the face of peril, the elephants connect with more confidence than seems to be apparent, and the monkeys cavort with a common purpose.

They all seem to be on a journey into what appears to be an unknown to them - appearing uncertain but possessed of great potential. A diversity of forms and actions, united by a common purpose.

My understanding, in conclusion, is that Banksy is challenging us not to be over-awed by the scale of the challenges facing us as societies, as a human civilisation. Yes, we are on a journey, and many perils and unknowns await us. But we have many and various capacities, potentialities and skills - largely unknown or unsuspecting - that we can utilise to face and successfully overcome these challenges.

Of course, I don't know Banksy. I've never met him, and even if I did there would probably be no way I could somehow work out his thought processes and motivations. So fundamentally its impossible for me to know, and all this is mere speculation. Fair enough, but I think it's fun to creatively speculate about what I think he means.

In writing to communicate this inspiration I'd like to think we have the potential to creatively find ways to prioritise our tomorrows, and thereby to pull out of the steep dive we seem to be in.

I've said my bit. Over to you - please leave your thoughts in the comments!