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11 Banksy Murals That Expose What Britain Tries to Hide
Content warning: Which one is your favorite?
From maids sweeping secrets into walls to kids sewing Union Jacks, Banksy has never shied away from challenging Britain’s self-image. In this collection, his sharpest works confront class, empire, inequality, and state control—one mural at a time. Featured locations include London, Dover, Clacton-on-Sea, and more.
More Banksy!: 24 artworks by Banksy: Who Is The Visionary of Street Art?
1. Sweep It Under
A maid in Victorian uniform lifts the wall like a curtain and sweeps dirt behind it. The illusion suggests society hides its problems rather than solves them—poverty, exploitation, and injustice brushed neatly out of view.
2. Royal Duty
A stoic Queen’s Guard stands facing a brick wall, apparently urinating—his stream implied by a wet streak below. The piece mocks British ceremony and military formality with an act of childish rebellion.
3. Flag Factory
A young child sits on the pavement working a sewing machine, churning out Union Jack bunting. A bleak comment on child labor and the hidden cost of nationalism, first revealed around the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
4. Monkey Parliament
The British House of Commons reimagined—filled entirely with chimpanzees. This full-room oil painting ridicules political theatrics, suggesting little difference between Parliament and a zoo.
5. Tourist and Rickshaw
Two tourists take a selfie from a rickshaw pulled by a struggling child. The social divide is blunt: privilege resting on the labor of those unseen, overworked, or ignored.
6. Dreams Cancelled
A public worker with a roller has painted a red “CANCELLED” stamp over the words “Follow Your Dreams.” Stark commentary on broken promises, systemic failure, and the collapse of working-class hope.
7. Luxury Rentals Only
Hermit crabs march toward a sign marked “Luxury Rentals Only.” One wears a larger shell, excluding the others. A biting metaphor for housing inequality and gentrification on the British coast.
8. Red Line
A businessman drives a red upward-trending graph while silhouettes of refugees, children, and elders flee. A stark visualization of how economic policy tramples human lives.
9. Lifestyle Out of Stock
On a massive billboard: “Sorry! The lifestyle you ordered is currently out of stock.” A dig at consumer dreams collapsing under reality, especially amid economic crisis.
10. Stop and Search
A young girl in a pink dress is frisked by a British policeman, with her teddy bear and suitcase nearby. The reversal—child as suspect, authority as aggressor—forces discomfort.
10. Broken Empire
A worker on a ladder chips away one star from the EU flag. Created during Brexit negotiations, the mural questions whether Britain’s exit is liberation—or self-destruction.
More Banksy!: 24 artworks by Banksy: Who Is The Visionary of Street Art?
Which one is your favorite?
Playing With Statues (26 photos)
Ever looked at a statue and thought, “What would happen if we made this masterpiece a little… mischievous?”
You’re not alone! Every day, people worldwide are adding a twist to statues, bringing them into the world of “dudeism.” Imagine classic sculptures sporting sunglasses or historic figures wielding quirky accessories.It’s not just about fun; these makeovers invite us to reimagine public spaces and remind us that art doesn’t have to be serious. Dive in, laugh, and let these clever creations inspire!
More: 9 Hilarious Gargoyle Statues: Medieval Humor!
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Classical statue holding a basket.
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Man interacts with “Counterpoint” sculpture in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Spider-Man posed with the Jorge Matute Remus statue in Guadalajara, Mexico.
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Woman leans in to “kiss” a statue at Love Land Sculpture Park in South Korea.
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A visitor interacts with a giant face sculpture in Davis, California.
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A person humorously “falls” at the foot of the Ronald Reagan statue in Budapest, Hungary.
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In Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson statues seem to take a modern “selfie.”
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Giant Pigeon in Bracknell, UK.
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This sculpture is titled “La Espera” (“The Wait”) and is located on the promenade in Torrevieja, Spain. The piece symbolizes the wives, mothers, and daughters of fishermen who would wait by the shore for their loved ones to return from the sea.
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More: When Statues Become Fathers: Creative Street Art on Equal Parenting
Which sculpture is your favorite?
Get Ordained for Free at the Religion of Dudeism
Get ordained for free at the world's most easygoing religion. Inspired by The Big Lebowski, Taoism, Zen and more.The Dudely Lama (Dudeism LLC)