Banksy Creates Striking Mural Highlighting Painful Undertones Of Domestic ‘Love’
Subverting mushy cards and other romantic gestures for the holiday of love, Banksy has created a gritty mural to draw focus to a different kind of rat than the ones that often feature in his work: the domestic abuser.
Innocuously titled Valentine’s Day Mascara, the new stenciled artwork in Margate, England, depicts a 50s-style housewife who looks like she’s winking from afar. Up close, onlookers will find that one of her eyes is blackened and has been forced shut, presumably by the hands of a violent spouse.
The woman, who also appears to have a missing tooth, is pictured shoving a person, seemingly her husband, into a real, discarded chest freezer.
Banksy is back with a new piece called Valentine’s Day Mascara in an as yet undisclosed location. His last Valentine’s Day-themed piece was painted in Barton Hill in 2020. pic.twitter.com/vRWmPGMOzZ
— Martin Booth (@beardedjourno) February 14, 2023
The mural at the back of Grosvenor Place/Park Place, near Margate fire station, was first spotted on Monday, February 13, fueling speculation that the anonymous street artist was back in action. Then, on Valentine’s Day, Banksy took to Instagram to confirm his involvement with the art.
In the US, one in three women and one in four men have encountered physical violence of some form by their partner. The numbers in England and Wales come fairly close, with about one in five adults aged 16 years old and above in these regions reporting to have experienced domestic abuse.
While Banksy hasn’t included commentary alongside his painting, the work succinctly illustrates how survivors gloss over attacks by their aggressors, often hiding their pain with a smile.
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If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at its toll-free number, 800-799-7232, or text “START” to 88788. If you live abroad, please check this list of helplines from around the world.
[via Banksy and The Isle of Thanet, images via Banksy]
