The painting was delivered during National Nurses Week.
Banksy, the anonymous British street artist known for his subversive graffiti stencils, has revealed a rare side of his artistry with a touching tribute to healthcare workers fighting COVID-19.
With social distancing and stay-at-home orders in place, Banksy has been off the streets — or so we’re to believe — and concentrating on his artwork inside the walls of his apartment.
Or, rather, on the walls of his apartment.
His latest work of art was a sincere tribute to the healthcare heroes fighting the virus on the frontline. Putting his spray paint and stencils aside, the elusive artist painted an expressive sketch-like portrait of a young boy playing with his action heroes.
Sitting on the floor, the boy plays with one of his toy heroes, a cape-bearing, mask-adorned nurse soaring through the air, as two comic-book dolls lie discarded in a bin.
The painting has a Norman Rockwell touch, though it’s mostly in black-and-white. The only color featured in the painting is the Red Cross insignia on the nurse’s gown, unlike the comic book characters’ logos in the bins, which are scrawled in black.
Yesterday the artist had the painting delivered to Southampton General Hospital in Hampshire, England. According to the BBC, the painting will remain there until the fall when it will go up for auction. The proceeds will be used to raise money for the National Health Service.
The artist left a note as well: “Thanks for all you’re doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if its only black and white.”
Did you also see his bathroom quarantine art?
[Featured image: @sue_campion]