A brand new duo of Banksy artworks have appeared in London and a proper pair of Christmas crackers they are. All photos Dave Stuart except Banksy where stated.
Firstly they function as a multi site diptych, a single art work comprising two pieces, with the message carried in the two together. There is a lot of press jingle belling about one being confirmed yet the other not, but as a diptych Banksy only needs to verify one of them.
Good nay GREAT placement is a hallmark of a good Banksy artwork. The placement of the Bayswater artwork was designed to use the crane light as a modern era beacon, follow that star! The original kings of the orient followed a star and it led to the inn with no room and birthplace of a homeless boy delivered in a temporary safe space in a stable.
The other half of the artwork has the same kids pointing upwards at a building called Centrepoint in the centre of London. A youth homelessness charity was established in the 1960s in reaction to the disgraceful circumstances that led to pitiless homeless living in the building’s shadows while the Centrepoint building remained empty. The charity chose the name Centrepoint to shame the owners and authorities, their mission to this day is to provide a safe space for homeless youths to restart.
London is awash with winter light installations by well remunerated artists working to commission and embedded deep in the property landscaping experience game (“look, not a deadzone after 6pm after all”). The genius that is almost unique to Banksy and absolutely overlooked by the conventional art world is Banksy’s ability to bend the urban landscape in the service of his art. The use of the crane light as the guiding star is astounding, no one else is incorporating the urban landscape as a found element in their art in this manner.
That biblical guiding light led to the stable of a guest house in Bethlehem, following the ceasefire in Gaza the hotel with the worst view in the world, Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem has re-opened. Coincidence?
Sad to say, that the opportunity to view the Bayswater piece at night was curtailed within hours of verification as a genuine Banksy by the owner of the empty property. Eschewing the usual transparent Perspex they went full plywood plus 24 hour security with dogs, so much for the Christmas spirit.
So, that’s Christmas 2025 done in brilliant style by Banksy.
