Mobile Lovers
Mobile Lovers
Year: 2014
Location: Clement street, Bristol, England
Mobile Lovers appeared in 2014 on a door within a beautiful stone wall on Clement Street in Bristol. It depicts a lovely couple in a close embrace… but, instead of gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes, each of them seems to be hypnotized by their own phone…
With this striking visual, Banksy critiques our societies that created a true addiction to cellphones for many. As it is often the case with the artist, location is part of the work. The mural is painted in a darkened doorway, suggesting an illicit affair, but instead of a dangerous plot, we see two people distracted by technology. The romantic glow is actually coming from the light of their screens.
Banksy used multiple spray-painted stencils to achieve the subtle details and glow of mobile devices. It results in a witty and true social commentary that our phones now rule our lives, even in the most intimate moments. The constant notifications from emails, text messages, or various social media platforms made us forget the most important part of who we are, and sometimes take what we have in front of us for granted…
