Bomb Middle England, 2000
Acrylic and spray-paint stencil on canvas, in two parts
Each 92.5×92.5×6 cm (31 ½ x 36 ½ x 2 3/8 inches)
From a series, unique in this format
Stencil-signed “BANKSY”, lower right
Exhibited
Banksy: The Unauthorized Retrospective, S/2 London, curated by Steve Lazarides, 2014
Bomb Middle England shows three elderly ladies in their coats and hats seemingly playing boules on a strip of grass created from two horizontal planes of green. At closer look, the boules are no other than metal cannonballs, with lit fuses. The title refers to one of Banksy’s most popular targets: the indifferent bourgeoisie. This work conveys a belief that the elite in power is immune to the brutality and violence of war. It could also be seen as a cynical parody of war portrayed as a game played by those in elite social circles who have the power to expend the lives of others and never suffer the consequences.
“People who get up early in the morning cause war, death, and famine”
Banksy, Banging Your Head Against A Brick Wall, November 2001
