Since Israel became a nation, a constant state of unrest or even armed conflict has become the norm between Israel and Palestine. What better place could Banksy choose to offer societal and political statements than on one of the most famous walls in the world, the Palestinian Wall, more commonly called the Israeli West Bank Barrier? After a disagreement in 2002, Israel began construction of what will one day be a 430-mile long wall. Ninety percent of the wall consists of fence work and trenches, while the other 10 percent is concrete. The concrete portion of the wall on the Palestinian side is where Banksy chose to make his artistic statement.
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Here are some of the most well known of these artworks.
1) Armoured Dove of Peace: Although located on a building in Bethlehem, this piece of work is often included as part of the nine. This piece of urban art is accredited to Banksy and perhaps several other street artists. The dove, complete with an armoured vest and bull's-eye heart target, makes a tongue-in-cheek comment about peace. What better way to display a political comment about the unstable peace in the area than to depict the bearer of peace"the dove"in a precarious situation?
2) West Bank Guard: An innocent child is used to display the tension in the region. In this painting, a little girl, complete with pigtails, depicts the innocence of children everywhere, caught in the middle of strife and political discord. What makes this piece interesting is the willingness of the guard to submit to a search by the tyke.
3) Window on the West Bank: Banksy's art is mostly black-and-white stencil paintings. However, occasionally, he ventures out of his safe monochrome world to paint in colors, especially to make a bold statement. This piece of urban art depicts two comfy chairs, each beside a colorful window, displaying a beautiful mountain vacation scenery. The statement in this picture is pretty clear. Who would want to vacation in a war-torn region such as the West Bank area?
4) Unwelcome Intervention: This picture gives hope to what could be. Two boys are playing in what appears to be a beach area, complete with sand pail, all in the classic monochrome black and white, while on the other side a paradise awaits in colorful blues and palm trees. One can only hope that something better awaits on the other side.
5) Escapism: This graffiti masterpiece depicts a young lad with chalk in hand. The only means of escape from one side of the wall to the other that he could envision was his chalk-drawn ladder leading to the top. The lad is complete with a smile, perhaps not realizing the political statement that his ladder makes.
6) Balloon Debate: Painted totally in black, as if a silhouette or shadow, Balloon Debate shows a young girl, hoping for the other side but only able to do so by letting balloons take her away. Again, Banksy uses a child to depict innocence against the true hostility of the area and what the wall came from.
