Banksy's new work, a tribute to health professionals
"Thank you for everything you're doing. I hope this brings some light to the place, even if it's only in black and white." With these words, urban artist Banksy accompanied his latest work, donated to Southampton University Hospital in southern England. In it, a child chooses as a toy the doll of a super-nurse, leaving Batman and Spiderman aside in the basket. Through his Instagram account - in which he has over eight million followers and which he usually uses to confirm the authorship of his works - he has shared and named this piece, which he has called 'Game changer'.
Although he is better known for capturing his works on the walls, this time the most famous anonymous graffiti artist in the world has used a somewhat more traditional support to show his recognition to the health professionals, as thousands of artists have done in recent weeks. The canvas will remain on temporary display at the health centre, as confirmed by the centre's executive director, Paula Head, via her Twitter account. "I am very proud to show this incredible work of art created by Banksy as a thank you to the workers of the NHS and our hospital. An inspiring backdrop to pause and reflect on this unprecedented time," she wrote.
When the confinement is over, the painting will be auctioned to raise funds for the British National Health System, sources close to the artist have confirmed to the British newspaper The Guardian. The sum will probably be substantial: just a year ago, his controversial work 'Devolved Parliament' - in which the House of Commons is depicted as a group of chimpanzees - was sold for 11 million euros. In the same bid, the first that Sotheby's dedicated to the artist, one of his paintings self-destructed just after his buyer paid 1.8 million euros.
If he was already recognised for his commitment to human rights and social demands - from inequality or climate change to the situation of refugees in Palestine, for example - with the super-nurse in this work, Banksy joins in the tributes to the health heroes who, without a cloak or super-powers, are already fighting to improve public health and save the world from the worst consequences of the coronavirus.
