Banksy confirms creating 'blind patriotism' statue in central London

Elusive street artist Banksy confirmed he was behind a new work drawing crowds in central London: a statue of a suited man striding into the void while holding a flag that blocks his view.

The monument, which has Banksy's name scrawled on the base, first appeared on Wednesday just off the central street of Pall Mall.

The man depicted is mounted on a plinth, with one leg striding off it, and appears to be blindly stepping off the platform without knowing it, thanks to the flag enveloping his face.

"The artist revealed the unsolicited monument at some point in the early hours of yesterday," a spokeswoman for Banksy said in a brief statement, as buzz grew about the new work in the British capital.

"It is positioned on a traffic island in Pall Mall where Banksy said 'there was a bit of a gap'."

Banksy, whose real identity has not been officially confirmed, posted a video on his Instagram account showing its installation under the cover of darkness using heavy machinery.

'Blind patriotism'

Best known for his satirical murals, often using a distinctive stenciling style, the artist typically uses Instagram to confirm his works, posting images and captions.

Commentators on Banksy's account speculated the work was about "blind patriotism," and questioned how he had managed to pull off such a stunt in the center of the British establishment.

A video shared on Thursday afternoon also featured an anonymous passerby giving some critical feedback.

"I don't like it. That's a nice statue up there – I prefer that," the unidentified elderly man says, pointing up the street.

The new statue stands in Waterloo Place, in the heart of central London, close to statues of King Edward VII and nurse Florence Nightingale, as well as the Crimean War Memorial.

'Intriguing'

The statue's public unveiling comes just over a month after a Reuters news agency investigation claimed to have confirmed the famously enigmatic artist's true identity.

It backed up a similar claim by The Mail on Sunday tabloid nearly two decades ago that he is a 52-year-old Briton, born as Robin Gunningham, who later changed his name to David Jones.

The report relied in part on a New York arrest record from 2000, as well as witness testimony from a more recent visit to Ukraine by Banksy.

The artist typically creates a media and public frenzy whenever he reveals a new piece of art, and the new statue was no exception.

"With Banksy, it's a limited time event because it's public art - you don't know how long it's going to be up," said 23-year-old student Ollie Isaac as he joined dozens taking a look.

"I think it's brilliant," he said, musing the piece was a response to "the resurgence of nationalism in the world and this country.”

"That suit screams politician," he added.

Teacher Lynette Cloraleigh, 55, came down after a friend posted about the statue on Instagram.

"I like it," she said. "I like where it is. (It's) intriguing how it got here."

A national treasure

The work is not the first unofficial statue Banksy has unveiled in the British capital. His work known as "The Drinker," which satirized Auguste Rodin's iconic bronze sculpture "The Thinker," was unveiled in 2004 on nearby Shaftesbury Avenue.

It was stolen soon afterwards and then endured years of contested ownership.

A spokesperson for Westminster Council, responsible for the area where the new statue has appeared, said in a statement: "We're excited to see Banksy's latest sculpture... making a striking addition to the city's vibrant public art scene."

The council added it has "taken initial steps to protect the statue", but for now "it will remain accessible for the public to view and enjoy."

Banksy started making street art in Bristol in the west of England in the 1990s and was initially treated as a vandal by authorities.

He is now viewed by many as a national treasure, with his works generating millions of dollars of sales over the years.

Local governments are now much more willing to protect his art to try to maintain it as an attraction, after some pieces were previously targeted by vandals.