HMV DOG, 2004

Provenance

• LAZ Inc., London
• Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Auction History

Catalogue Note

A playful reinterpretation of the iconic His Master’s Voice logo, HMV Dog is one of Banksy’s sharpest visual jokes. Replacing the faithful dog listening to a gramophone with a dog aiming a rocket launcher at it, Banksy transforms a symbol of loyalty into an act of rebellion. The work humorously suggests a rejection of passive consumption and unquestioning obedience to mass media.

Executed with remarkable economy, the composition demonstrates Banksy’s gift for conveying complex ideas through the simplest of visual interventions. Like much of his work from this period, HMV Dog questions the authority of cultural institutions and reminds us that sometimes the most radical response is simply to stop listening.