Fucking love Banksy. I really do. His latest work just dropped in London’s Pall Mall. And it’s a cracker.

For those of you new around these parts, apart from crafting creative insults for the Cunt of Mostly Crisco (still flogging that one), I also have a PhD in art history and cultural economics. Yeah. I know. Hard to believe.

So here’s my art historian breakdown on why this is so genius.

Banksy starts by co-opting the Great White Man Statue ™️trope, complete with stone plinth.

Think of every statue like this you have ever seen. Elevated above the head of us commoners, so we are forced to look upwards to be awed by their majesty.

It’s the same reason thrones are on raised platforms and leaders are seated on a dais. They’re halfway between us and the heavens; a bridge between earthbound mortality, and the sublime immortal.

These men (because they are always men) don’t cast their eyes down to the huddling masses at their feet. They look to a distant horizon. They see things none of us can. They’re facing the future head on.

Their expressions are resolute and determined. They are Big Picture Thinkers (capitals used an advisedly).

Enter Banksy.

Same materials.

Only… look at the stance.

He’s about to step right off that plinth. He’ll tumble to the ground. Not toppled by a crowd of rioters. Laid low by his own blindness.

Why blind? Because he’s tangled in a flag. A flag as symbol of rampant and toxic nationalism. Notice it is a blank flag. This is a warning. It’s not just the UK. It’s not just the US.

It’s western civilisation that’s about to take a tumble onto the pavers below.

The other thing? He’s already caked in pre-cast pigeon shit. It may be the first time we’re seeing him. But this guy has been here for a while.