Banksy has shared satirical graffiti artworks with the British public for some 30 years, often garnering praise and special protections.
But scepticism has surrounded the Bristol-based artist’s latest collection of silhouettes across London.
Banksy, identified as Robin Gunningham by the Mail on Sunday in 2008, took credit for a series of animals stencilled onto walls across the capital this week, including a goat near Kew Bridge, elephants in Chelsea and dancing monkeys near Brick Lane.
But not all have been so quick to laud the activist for his work.
‘They are enjoyable pieces but they are not making any earth-shattering point, or if they are I can’t see it,’ Banksy biographer Will Ellsworth-Jones told The Telegraph.
A silhouette of a goat appeared in Kew on Monday, kicking off the series across London
Fans have lauded the series across the city – but not all have been so impressed
Today, fans of the artist gathered around a new work depicting a cat in Cricklewood
Elephants appeared in Chelsea, West London on Tuesday, unveiled by Banksy
Residents may feel differently.
Property prices around the upmarket Chelsea and Richmond addresses where the elephant silhouettes were painted were expected to climb between £500,000 and £800,000, property expert Pete Mugleston told MailOnline.
‘If you are lucky enough to have your property touched by Banksy you should expect to see the value of your property double overnight,’ he said.
Critics were quick to spot earlier in the week that wealthy homeowners in West London were benefitting most from the expected property price hikes – before the artist moved to north, east and south east London.
But even in West London, not all were convinced.
Trisha Abcorn said: ‘It’s not his best piece of work. It looks a bit rushed and the edges are a bit messy.
‘It’s obvious that he was keen to do it in a hurry because he probably didn’t want to be spotted,’ she said.
‘We’re used to things being done a bit better around here.’
Frank Cummings, who admitted he was a Banksy fan, continued the thought: ‘There are a lot of wealthy people around here and I’m sure they won’t be too impressed.
‘This area doesn’t really need the attention of having a Banksy but I’m glad it’s here.’
Yusuf, who lives opposite the artwork, said: ‘It’s quite amazing to be living opposite a Banksy but I’ve seen better stuff from him.
‘He’s painted it on a main road and if you look closely, it looks smudged. I don’t think he’s very good at using stencils.
‘I’m also a bit confused about what the two elephants mean.’
Bristol-based Banksy did not caption his social media posts unveiling the artworks, prompting further speculation.
Some suggested the piece in Chelsea could be a reference to ‘elephants in the room’.
The elephants were the second installation after a silhouette of a goat appeared on top of a wall in leafy Kew on Monday, raising a property’s price by an estimated £100,000.
Ardent followers of the artist lauded the work.
Amber Doffman, an art teacher who lives in Acton, said she has been writing to Banksy for years – and just a few months ago emailed him asking him to come to west London.
‘He is my idol and the reason I became an art teacher,’ she said.
‘I am beyond inspired by Banksy. I hope they cover it with Perspex immediately before someone ruins it – I’m so scared it will get vandalised.’
Ms Doffman added that she believes the artwork is ‘to do with the environment – and how we’ve ruined it to the point that animals don’t know where to go anymore’.
‘I’m also a bit confused about what the two elephants mean,’ one resident said
On Wednesday, the artist shared silhouettes of three monkeys on a bridge in east London
Again, speculation mounted as to what the monkeys could mean – if anything at all
A wolf howling at the moon appeared on a satellite dish in Rye Lane on Thursday
But within hours of being unveiled, the Banksy in Peckham appeared to have been stolen
Elsewhere, the artist and political activist – whose work has dealt with challenging topics such as alienation, consumerism and anti-authoritarianism – unveiled three monkeys, a lone wolf, two pelicans and a large cat across the city.
The trio of monkeys, appearing to swing under a bridge over Brick Lane, near a vintage clothes shop, raised as many questions when they appeared on Wednesday.
They have been associated with the Japanese proverb ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’. But in Banksy’s work the monkeys are not covering their eyes, ears or mouths.
His fourth artwork which appeared in Peckham, southeast London on Thursday – depicting a howling lone wolf on a satellite dish – appeared to have been stolen within minutes.
The striking painting of the wolf howling into the night sky appeared overnight on top of a former Betfred shop on Rye Lane, Peckham.
Footage emerged showing the shocking moment the artwork was dismantled before being carried away.
The group of hooded men wearing facemasks and gloves were spotted scaling the building, removing the satellite dish, and walking off.
On Friday, the artist claimed responsibility for two pelicans that appeared above a fish bar in Walthamstow.
The large water birds appeared to be eating fish above the chippie on the Northcote Road.
Local Labour MP Stella Creasy praised the work, located in her constituency.
She said: ‘Walthamstow. Where even our chippy is just a bit cooler than everyone else’s.
‘Even if this isn’t a Banksy it’s brill and the chips there are magic, though the owner’s on holiday at moment so you will have to wait to confirm that yourself.
‘So thank you whoever added this bit of magic to our street art today.’
The fifth mural appeared on a fish and chip shop in Walthamstow on Friday
Banksy has left locals stunned, confused and ungrateful with his latest works
The latest mural spotted on a disused billboard on Edgware Road in Cricklewood
Today’s artwork – the cat – was printed on an abandoned billboard in Cricklewood, North London.
Some were initially impressed by the work. Simon Stephenson, who spotted it ‘first’, said he felt like he had won the lottery.
‘It’s great to see it is by him – I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found it. I guess I was just at the right place, at the right time.’
The mixed reception is nothing new for the artist – and provoking locals into stunned, confused and suspicious reactions surely serves better than no reaction at all.