This essay will discuss how two of Banksys most popular works have been shown in a critical and/or enlightening way.

Banksy’s intent and my response to Rickshaw have brought new meaning to my understanding of this painting. I believe Banksy’s intent with regard to the painting Rickshaw is to contrast the developed and undeveloped worlds. He has aimed to highlight how lifestyles differ and how first world citizens take their relative fortune as a right, not a privilege. The small boy supports the image of the third world sufferers, and the obese couple represents the first world populations. Banksy has shown the obese couple taking a photo of themselves as a illustration of the self obsession that a lot of the developed world possesses. While the boy is carting their enormous weight in his hands, they are only considering themselves and not the pain they are causing this child. My reading of this image is that Western culture is supporting a consumerist lifestyle. The couple in this image are a prime example of this lifestyle with their mobile phones and squeaky white tennis shoes. I also believe this image is showing how the developed world lets the undeveloped world pull their weight. This is shown in a literal way in Rickshaw, as the boy is actually pulling the couple’s weight. This weight could also be metaphorical as the undeveloped countries also support our weight in ways such as producing inexpensive goods for our consumerist lifestyle. This is how Banksy’s intent and my reading of this image have created a deeper understanding of Rickshaw.

Similarly, the image Armored Dove has been depicted in a critical way in regard to its themes of war and irony. These themes have been represented by universally recognised symbols. The symbol of the dove holding an olive branch in its beak is a symbol of peace. This symbol comes from the story of Noah’s Ark where a dove holding an olive branch was sent as a message to Noah to say that the flood was over and the world was peaceful again. The bulletproof vest that the dove is wearing is a symbol of war and protection. The sniper target that is located over the dove’s heart is a symbol of death and war. When these symbols are put together they convey the message that going to war to achieve peace is illogical, as they are opposites. Armored Dove is also making the statement that war abolishes the pure and innocent, which in this case is shown to be the dove. The sniper is aimed at the dove’s heart, showing that the anonymous gunman aims to kill. This shows that the dove is justified in wearing the bulletproof vest as it, representing peace, is being targeted; therefore it needs to be protected. Banksy is being critical of the morals and triggers of war. This is how Banksy has engaged with popular culture in a critical way in Armored Dove through the themes of war and irony by using universally recognised symbols.

On the other hand, the context of the image Armored Dove has engaged with the audience in an enlightening way as the knowledge of context brings new meaning to the image. The stencil Armored Dove is in Palestine on the West Bank. This creates new significance, as Palestine has been a war zone for decades. The Israelis and Palestinians have still not found a resolution to their disputes. The wall where Armored Dove is stenciled also has specific relevance to its meaning, as it is the wall where over 40 Palestinians were shot in the First Intifada, which were a series of rebellions. This knowledge of context brings new meaning to Armored Dove, as it shows how the image relates to the world. Above the image there are numerous bullet holes, which Banksy intentionally hasn’t painted over. They serve as a reminder that this conflict is existent and ongoing. The bulletproof vest that the dove is wearing highlights a wariness of peace. This mirrors the Palestinian situation as both Palestine and Israel want a solution, but neither has trust in the other to uphold their side of the bargain. The context of this image has shown Armored Dove in an enlightening way as it brings new meaning and a deeper understanding of the image’s content.

In conclusion, Banksy’s Rickshaw and Armored Dove have been shown in both critical and enlightening ways of looking at society. They have been shown through the techniques of juxtapositioning and symbolism as a representation of the recurring themes in Banksy’s work: inequality, consumerism, conflict and an ironic representation of peace. From the mouth of the man himself; “I like to think I have the guts to stand up anonymously in a Western democracy and call for things that no-one else believes in – like peace, justice and freedom”.