Banksy’s home city of Bristol in southwest England just got several brand-new pieces of eye-catching street art, including one that appears to feature a likeness of the elusive artist himself.
Italian street artist TVBoy, whose real name is Salvatore Benintende, painted a police officer handcuffing a figure with Banksy’s iconic signature on their hoodie.
“Everyone has compared me to Banksy, the Italian Banksy, the Spanish Banksy,” TVBoy, who lives in Barcelona, told HuffPost on Tuesday. “So, I decided it was the moment the student goes to the master to establish a dialogue or something like that.”
He shared a video of the piece on Instagram to the sound of Sia’s “Unstoppable.” See here:
Several of TVBoy’s other Bristol pieces have a playful royal twist.
They featured Kate, the Princess of Wales, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, King Charles III, Queen Camilla and the late Queen Elizabeth II.
“What we get from the news is a constant saga about the Royal Family, and I wanted to connect with the local people,” TVBoy told the BBC.
TVBoy also painted this commentary on racism:
After leaving Bristol, TVBoy headed north to Glasgow in Scotland, where Banksy’s “Cut & Run” exhibition is showcasing 25 years of his art and stencils.
Taking inspiration from Banksy’s early-2000s self-installation of his art in museums, including London’s Natural History Museum, TVBoy filmed himself doing the same at Banksy’s show.
Outside, though, police ordered him to remove a poster he’d put up in footage that he shared online.
“I still have to learn a lot from him!” said TVBoy.
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