The streets of London have received an early Christmas present from the world's most famous anonymous artist. Banksy has confirmed his authorship of a new mural in west London via a post on his official Instagram account.
Instagram Reveal in Bayswater
On Monday afternoon, the elusive street artist posted a photograph of the new work to his Instagram followers, definitively stating he was behind its creation. The artwork, located above a row of garages on Queen's Mews in Bayswater, features two children lying on their backs, looking up at the sky.
A second, identical piece of art appeared last Friday outside the prominent Centre Point tower in central London. However, representatives for Banksy have not yet confirmed if this second installation is also an original work by the artist, leaving its provenance officially unverified.
A Poignant Statement on Homelessness
Art experts were quick to interpret the mural's powerful message. Artist Daniel Lloyd-Morgan told the BBC he believed the Centre Point location was a deliberate choice to highlight the issue of child homelessness. "There are a lot of children who are not having a good time at Christmas," he said.
He noted the irony of busy passersby ignoring the artwork, drawing a parallel with society overlooking homeless people on the streets. "It's kind of like they're stargazing. It's quite fitting that the kids are pointing up like they're looking at the north star," Lloyd-Morgan added, suggesting a theme of hope or guidance.
The Centre Point tower itself is deeply entwined with London's homelessness narrative. Completed in 1966, it stood empty for over a decade, becoming a stark symbol of the housing crisis. The homelessness charity Centrepoint even took its name from the building, with its founder, Reverend Ken Leech, calling the tower "an affront to the homeless." The block has since been converted into luxury flats.
Connecting to Past Work
Banksy expert Jason Tomkins also sees the mural as a "clear statement on homelessness." He told the BBC he believes it depicts the same little boy seen catching snowflakes in a Banksy artwork that appeared in Port Talbot, Wales, in 2018.
"This is quite unusual for him to use the same little boy again, because he has never done that," Tomkins remarked, indicating a potential intentional link between the two pieces separated by time and location.
While London has been gifted this thought-provoking new work, the mystery surrounding the second copy at Centre Point and the artist's full intent remains. The Instagram confirmation has, however, cemented the Bayswater piece as an authentic Banksy, offering a moment of artistic reflection during the festive season.
