Banksy "Vandalizes" Paris With Six New Works, And They Carry An Important Message

On the 20th of June, Banksy commemorated World Refugee Day in one of their modern capitals, Paris. Addressing President Emmanuel Macron's "get migrants off France’s streets and out of forest hideouts" campaign, the street artist has shared his opinions about the current political situation in the country.

The first piece depicts a girl painting over a swastika using a pink Victorian pattern. It definitely looks like a reference to the artist’s 2008 work called “Go Flock Yourself.” The mural criticizes the seemingly fascist French government's migrant policies. The girl was found near the Porte de la Chapelle metro station, the site of Paris’s official refugee centre “La Bulle” until August 2017.

The second mural is Banksy’s interpretation of the iconic painting “Napoleon Crossing the Alps.” People think it mocks President Macron, blindly leading the country.

The third one portrays a man feeding a bone to a legless dog. Some speculate it's a metaphor for the politicians tricking the masses with masked agendas.

The last three works feature rats – Banksy’s signature stencil, inspired by Parisian artist Blek Le Rat. They represent the working class and the way regular people can make a huge difference when working together.

Art historian and street art expert Paul Ardenne claims that these murals are very much in Banksy's style. "The color, the line, the subject and the way he has adapted the images from photos... all point to them being Banksy's style during the 2000s. There is a very particular signature. If [the mural of the girl] is not by Banksy, it is a very good copy," he told the Daily Mail.