The story began with the silhouette of a goat, precariously balanced atop a narrow wall near Kew Bridge in London, its position made even more dramatic by the tumbling rocks depicted around it.
As the week progressed, more silhouettes appeared across the city. In Chelsea, two elephants with intertwined trunks were painted on the blocked-out windows of a house. In Brick Lane, three monkeys were shown swinging across a bridge, while in Peckham, a wolf was captured howling at the sky on a satellite dish on Rye Lane. By Friday, a fifth silhouette, featuring two pelicans eating fish, was spotted on the wall of a fish and chip shop in Walthamstow.
These enigmatic murals are believed to be the work of the elusive street artist Banksy. Although Banksy, who hails from Bristol and whose identity remains a mystery, seemingly confirmed the pieces as authentic on his Instagram, he provided no captions, leaving their meaning open to widespread speculation. On social media, the collection has been dubbed the “London zoo” series, with some users theorising that Banksy may be drawing parallels between the animals and recent far-right rioters. Others have connected the images to broader themes such as Gaza, the climate crisis, extinction, Michelangelo’s *Creation of Adam*, and the precarious nature of social media.
Paul Gough, vice-chancellor of Arts University Bournemouth and author of *Banksy: The Bristol Legacy*, noted that it’s unusual for the artist to tease a series of works in this manner. “By quickly sharing images on social media, he’s bypassed the usual ‘whodunnit’ aspect that often captivates global media,” Gough said. He pointed out that Banksy has a history of using animals to convey urgent messages about environmental issues, habitat threats, and climate change. However, these animals also serve as potent metaphors for global politics and the troubled world we live in. Domestic animals like cows, pigs, and sheep are often depicted alongside less savoury creatures—such as chimps and rats—holding up sharp, satirical placards.
Gough, who has himself been the subject of TikTok rumours suggesting he might be Banksy, speculated that the artist might be planning to release one image a day, leading up to a significant reveal by the weekend. “So far, he’s creating a menagerie of animals, a bestiary of sorts, which keeps the public engaged and raises anticipation. This is Banksy’s marketing at its most impactful, building a significant air of expectation.” He described Banksy’s work as “instantly accessible,” with simple yet memorable designs that resonate deeply due to their alignment with global issues. “It’s art with an edge,” he added.
Dr. Isobel Harbison, a lecturer in critical studies at Goldsmiths, University of London, expressed some confusion over the images and the buzz they’ve generated. “They’re very basic in many ways,” she observed. “There might be something significant in their uniform silhouette style—different from his usual two-tone approach—and in their multiplicity.” She noted that the variety of animals suggests Banksy is “assembling quite a gathering.”
“The message might be about the environment, ecology, or the harmony between the built and natural world. If there’s something we need to learn from our surroundings in London this week, it should be about acceptance and mutual respect.”
However, Harbison also noted that Banksy’s messages are typically quite clear, so the meaning behind these works might soon become apparent. “I do hope the art remains on the walls. It’s encouraging to see people looking up, out, and around.”
In a twist that has become all too familiar with Banksy’s work, the Peckham wolf was stolen mere hours after it was unveiled. Three men were seen using a ladder to remove the satellite dish from a roof.
This theft underscores the fact that Banksy is no longer just a shadowy street artist. His work has reached new heights in the art world, with his painting *Love is in the Bin* fetching £18.6 million at Sotheby’s in 2021, a piece hailed as the “pre-eminent artwork of the 21st century.”
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