Banksy Breaks Silence to Reveal He's the Artist Behind 'Great British Spraycation'

Maria Pasquini
·2-min read
A stensil of a gull about to swoop down onto a carton of chips is the subject of a graffiti artwork bearing the hallmarks of street artist Banksy on a wall in Lowestoft on the East coast of England on August 8, 2021.
A stensil of a gull about to swoop down onto a carton of chips is the subject of a graffiti artwork bearing the hallmarks of street artist Banksy on a wall in Lowestoft on the East coast of England on August 8, 2021.

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Banksy

Banksy does it again.

The elusive street artist recently announced that he was responsible for a series of graffiti creations that popped up along the British coast earlier this month.

In an Instagram video titled "A Great British Spraycation," Banksy gave his followers a behind-the-scenes look at the project — while keeping his identity a secret, of course.

One of the artworks included in the video showcased a rat enjoying a cocktail on the beach while another featured a seagull swooping down over an overflowing trash container.

Meanwhile, a third mural depicted a trio of shell-less hermit crabs approaching another hermit crab who stood in front of three empty shells while holding up a sign reading "Luxury rentals only."

RELATED: Banksy Explains Why He's 'Glad' His New Mural Was Vandalized Just 48 Hours After Its Creation

One particularly playful creation appeared alongside a statue in King's Lynn, a seaport town in Norfolk, per Sky News.

In the video, Banksy can be seen creating an ice cream cone for the statue to hold in its hand — as well as a bright pink tongue, which the artist affixed to the statue's mouth.

A stensil of children playing at being sailors is the subject of a graffiti artwork bearing the hallmarks of street artist Banksy on the wall of a bridge in Everitt Park in Lowestoft on the East coast of England on August 8, 2021.
A stensil of children playing at being sailors is the subject of a graffiti artwork bearing the hallmarks of street artist Banksy on the wall of a bridge in Everitt Park in Lowestoft on the East coast of England on August 8, 2021.

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Banksy

However, while Banksy's comments section was full of praise, not everybody was as impressed with his handiwork.

"That looks a lot like mindless vandalism," one woman can be heard saying in the video while looking at a mural.

"It looks a lot better from far away than it does when you get this close," added another onlooker to close out the clip.

A woman takes a photograph of a stensil of a child digging in the sand, the subject of a graffiti artwork bearing the hallmarks of street artist Banksy on a wall in Lowestoft on the East coast of England on August 8, 2021.
A woman takes a photograph of a stensil of a child digging in the sand, the subject of a graffiti artwork bearing the hallmarks of street artist Banksy on a wall in Lowestoft on the East coast of England on August 8, 2021.

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Banksy

Earlier this year, a Banksy original honoring healthcare workers amid the pandemic set a world auction record for the artist, fetching $23,176,314.

The painting, titled "Game Changer," depicts a young boy playing with a toy nurse whose arms are outstretched as if she were flying through the sky. In the background, a garbage bin is filled with the boy's Batman and Spider-Man action figures.

Proceeds from the sale of the artwork, the auction house said in a press release, were used to "support health organizations and charities across the UK that enhance the care and treatment provided by the NHS."

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