Draw The Raised Bridge
Draw The Raised Bridge
Year: 26 January 2018
Location: Scott Street Bridge, Hull, England
This mural was discovered on 26 January on Scott Street Bridge in Hull, a town in Eastern England.
The artwork portrays a boy, stenciled on what looks to be a permanently raised abandoned drawbridge… This boy seems to be fully equipped to go to war, he wears a colander helmet, a cape, and a shield. He is raising
a makeshift sword with a pencil attached to the tip, and seems to be yelling: “DRAW THE RAISED BRIDGE!”
On his Instagram account, Banksy changes the wording to “RAISE THE DRAWBRIDGE”.
As usual the location is essential to understand the main underlying message… Indeed, Hull was the city in England with the highest vote backing the UK leaving the EU (67.6% vote).
As Banksy is also very knowledgeable about history, this work could also refer to the “Siege of Hull” in 1642 when King Charles I was refused to enter Hull by Sir John Hotham and the Parliament.
Obviously there are many readings to this mural as it is always the case for Banksy, who has been portraying many children within his oeuvre to share messages with the world, and also to impact with act of peace, this kid is going to war, but with a pencil and his war will be about drawing, exactly like Banksy has been doing for the past 20 years…
