BANKSY (b. 1974)
Laugh Now, 2003
Acrylic and spray paint on paper
118.5 x 85.2 cm (46-5/8 x 33-1/2 inches)
Stenciled with the artist’s name and titled (center)
Stenciled with the artist’s name (on the verso)
In the pantheon of Banksy’s iconic imagery, Laugh Now stands at the pinnacle alongside other revered motifs such as the Gangsta Rat, Flower Thrower, and Girl with Balloon. In this exceptional and quintessential work, the sandwich-board-wearing Laugh Now chimp emerges as one of the central icons in the elusive artist’s oeuvre. Executed with a meticulous stencil composition, the painting showcases Banksy’s mastery in utilizing a wide range of spray-painted tones, capturing the raw immediacy and paradoxical essence that defines his distinctive style.
“You paint 100 chimpanzees and they still call you a guerrilla artist.”
The chimpanzee or monkey, a recurrent motif in Banksy’s arsenal, takes on profound significance in this work. First introduced in 2001 under a railway bridge on Rivington Street in Shoreditch, Banksy’s chimp delivers a powerful message: “Laugh now, but one day I’ll be in charge.” The slump-shouldered and forlorn figure transcends cartoon comedy to embody biting social critique, invoking Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and challenging the arrogance of mankind. This iconic motif later culminates in one of Banksy’s most ambitious works, the grand-scaled history painting, Devolved Parliament, produced in 2009 and equally poignant in today’s climate.
Indeed, by the early 2000s, Banksy had garnered a cult following for his subversive street pieces which appeared overnight on walls across Bristol, London, and beyond. His transition into traditional art world territories by the mid-2000s retained his dissident and subversive spirit, further emphasizing the political and satirical impetus of his work. Through his radical creative output, Banksy advocates for the marginalized in society, employing mainstream comedic frameworks with ironic critical distance to prompt a reevaluation of assumptions.
The artist’s ability to approach multifaceted discussions with a blend of mainstream comedy and critical inquiry is evident in Laugh Now. James Brassett, in his analysis of British Irony and Global Justice notes that Banksy reframes global issues through irony, interrupting mainstream narratives and highlighting power structures and hypocrisy within ethical agendas. Despite the cynical puns, witty punchlines, and embrace of anti-taste and shock tactics, there is an inherent ambiguity in works such as Laugh Now that authentically challenges contemporary issues of representation and power structures. In Laugh Now, Banksy masterfully employs surprising juxtapositions, utilizing humor and biting satire to undercut the elite, elevate the proletarian, and shed light on the pressing issues of our time.
