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Banksy has shared a powerful piece of artwork in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, portraying the burning of an American flag.
The anonymous artist’s latest work was shared on his Instagram page earlier today (June 6), which comes after the death of George Floyd, an African American man who was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota when a white police officer knelt on his neck as he lay on the ground during an arrest.
It depicts a vigil for a member of the black community, whose picture is in a frame next to some flowers and a candle, which burns an American flag as it hangs on the wall.
In a statement accompanying the artwork, Banksy wrote: “At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue. 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.”
He concluded: “This is a white problem. And if white people don’t fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in.”
Banksy follows a number of other high-profile names who have spoken out during the recent Black Lives Matter protests, which have taken place across the US and around the world. Among them, Adele told her fans to “be righteously angered but be focused”, while Killer Mike gave an impassioned speech telling Atlanta residents to “plot, plan, strategise, organise, and mobilise.”
Last month, Banksy celebrated the health workers of the UK with a new piece of artwork, portraying them as superheroes during the ongoing battle against coronavirus.
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