Banksy’s faceless protester lands in the corridor of the London monument
A new one sculpture with Banksy appeared overnight in the St. James, London, introducing a highly contemporary figure to one of the capital’s most historically charged public spaces. Set in Waterloo Place amongst monuments of imperial and military history, the work depicts a handy man marching forward holding a large flag that folds and completely hides his face. The blackened figure stands atop a stone plinth marked simply with the artist’s name.
all images courtesy of Banksy
between protest and monument
Located near the statues of Edward VII, Florence Nightingale and the Crimean War memorial, the sculpture introduces a noticeably different kind of memorial to the ceremonial route that connects Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace. The nameless protester is seen hovering between protest, resistance and disappearance. The sweeping flag functions less as a national emblem than as a veil, concealing identity at the very moment the figure comes into view.
As backlash spread across the internet following Banksy Instagram reelviewers quickly began to attach political readings to the work, with one commentator describing the figure as “blinded by nationalism”, while another called it “a good warning”. Others interpreted the sculpture through its urban presence, referring to it as a “pillar of the community” and hoping that the intervention could remain permanently installed in Waterloo Place.
A new Banksy sculpture appeared overnight in the St. James of London,
the artist confirms his paternity through his instagram feed
Although speculation quickly spread after the discovery of the sculpture on Wednesday morning, the artist later appeared to confirm its authorship through a scroll posted to his Instagram account, continuing Banksy’s now-familiar pattern of attesting to his covert interventions after they appear in public. Crowds gathered throughout the day to photograph the work, which was placed opposite the Athenaeum Club and in front of the gilded statue of Athena.
The intervention follows a series of recent works by London-based Banksy, including murals dealing with protest, conflict and surveillance, alongside his widely publicized 2024 animal series that unfolded across the city. Like many of his previous public installations, the new sculpture arrives without warning and may prove to be temporary.
the blackened figure stands atop a stone plinth marked simply with the artist’s name
a suited man marching forward holding a large flag that folds and completely hides his face
project information:
location: Waterloo Place, London
