‘The original Thug. Immortalized here is the moment turf was placed on the statue of the big man during London’s May Day riots. Arguably the best piece of vandalism this country has seen in over a decade.’

Turf War reproduces a famous portrait of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to which was added a bright green mohawk. Considered to be one of the 20th century’s most significant political figures, Churchill is best remembered for his wartime triumphs rather than his messy dealings with colonialism. Banksy’s used a famous 1941 photograph taken by Yussuf Karsh which is seen as an historical reference to the Prime Minister’s leadership during World War II and his persistence through adversity.

Yussuf Karsh, Winston Churchill, 1941

However, this is no tribute; here Banksy appears to be denouncing the constant battles for borders and territory that have come to define 20th and 21st century politics at great cost to civilian lives. Turf War is titled after Banksy’s early solo exhibition of the same name, which took place in London in 2003. The original painting for Turf War was suspended from the ceiling. At that occasion, Churchill, no longer bald, has been brought into the punk era by Banksy with a striking new hair style.