Banksy’s Latest Sculpture Joins London’s Imperial Icons

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Summary

  • Banksy dropped a new sculpture of a faceless flag-bearer in Waterloo Place in London
  • Fans speculate that the piece, situated between figures of British historical icons, is commentary on how individuals can be blinded by power

Okay, so a new Banksy just popped up in central London, and it’s pretty powerful. It’s in Waterloo Place, which has a lot of history, and it’s a sculpture of a guy in a suit – but he’s blindfolded by his own flag! It looks like he’s confidently stepping off the base he’s standing on. It’s a really striking image, honestly.

A sculpture appeared overnight on Wednesday in the square, delivered by crane. It was signed with “Banksy” and quickly attracted attention online. The artist later confirmed its authenticity in a video posted to Instagram today.

St James’s is famous for its statues of important figures from British history. The latest Banksy artwork is located right next to large bronze statues of Edward VII and Florence Nightingale, the Crimean War Memorial, and the gilded Athena statue that overlooks the Athenaeum Club.

 

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Removing a prominent figure like the statue was a deliberately controversial move, which is typical for this artist. Fans are interpreting it as a statement about the dangers of unquestioning patriotism, or how those in power can unintentionally cause their own downfall.

It’s unclear how long Banksy’s latest statue will remain, but based on his previous work in London, it probably won’t be there for long. Last year, he created several murals around the city that addressed important issues like protests, conflict, and social inequality. One mural, depicting a protester striking a judge, appeared on the Royal Courts of Justice in September, and its removal sparked as much debate as the artwork itself.

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2026-04-30 20:56