Thank you for the heads‑up.





Cheers for the helpful address. Much obliged.





That made me chuckle. Thank you.





Some random points that come to mind:


1.  Banksy's techniques have evolved, becoming increasingly multivarious and sophisticated.

I've previously referred to him as being a stencil artist, but would now consider that description misleading.

While the bulk of his work continues to be stencil‑based, many non‑stencil embellishing techniques have often been incorporated into his work, especially over the past decade — such as freehand spraying with cans, hand‑spraying with spray bottles, and hand‑painting with brushes, rollers, even fingertips.



2.  The techniques that Banksy opts for won't always be consistent. They are piece-dependent, chosen according to what will best suit each artwork.

In this instance, one could say it is just the black paint that truly represents the body of the character holding the pressure sprayer.

The green colours do not depict the woman herself (as would otherwise have been the case if flesh tones were included). They represent a partial failure, or at least a presumably-undesired consequence, of her intervention — which has also resulted in her getting completely covered in paint.

Consequently, it makes sense here that the greens were added on top of the black base layer.



3.  As with the floor routine of a professional gymnast, Banksy makes his work look relatively easy or simple. Deceptively so, in my view.

Even with the chosen palette, it isn't simply green and black. Three different colours of green were used: mint and sea green for the woman, and shamrock (mirroring Islington signage) for the replicated tree leaves:








Thank you for posting.

Those Instagram photos are interesting because they partially explain what was unclear to me on Sunday.

The second photo doesn't actually show the installation in its finished state.

Only the close‑up third photo looks to be of the completed piece. Water was applied in the interval, for added texture, shading and depth.

Spot the differences:








When viewing the work in person, I spent a while looking at the outline of the painted foliage.

My mistaken assumption was that the leaves were done, not just with a pressure sprayer, but also with a brush or roller at the end of an extension pole. This impression was due to the vertical lines in white. The cleanliness of those lines was inconsistent with the result that would be achieved by a green-paint-filled fire extinguisher or pressure sprayer alone.

I now realise those white lines were created by using water — applied with a pressure sprayer to certain sections of the tree, and then allowed to drip down and dilute or wash away parts of the still‑wet green paint.

Compare and contrast the treetop cropped images of:

(a) Banksy's early, second Instagram photo on the left; versus

(b) my later photo (from a slightly different angle) on the right:








Your comments and question are fair. And interesting too.



The BBC article* posted yesterday offers a few quotes by James Peak (with whom I'm on good terms), including the following:

"The message is clear," he said. "Nature's struggling and it is up to us to help it grow back."



His is a very valid perspective.

However, I would qualify it by adding that other credible interpretations also exist.

And in this respect, the message perhaps isn't quite so clear.

Nor can we definitely say there is but one single message.


__________


The artist's work appeals to me most when it avoids being overly prescriptive. When it remains open to different and even contradictory meanings.



Already referred to above is the fact that the character's actions have resulted, not only in the wall being covered in green paint, but herself as well.

There might thus be a side theme of self‑defeating behaviour here.

Who knows? Maybe even a self‑reference.



Coming back to the tree itself, which, as you say, is still very much alive (having simply been pollarded or topped, albeit quite aggressively, given the thickness of the cut branches), I would suggest it adds to the interpretative richness of Banksy's piece.

Fresh leaves will soon be sprouting from that tree, meaning the woman's intervention was, at least arguably, little more than a short‑term, superficial fix. An act that would soon become redundant.



And so, beyond any "Nature needs our help"‑style message that viewers might immediately attribute to the artwork, there is possibly a recognition of our complementary duties — not just to hastily take action to address the urgent issues that need addressing, but to do so in a responsible and informed manner. To ensure our efforts aren't simply wasted. Or worse, counterproductive and harmful.

This could be viewed as Banksy's cautionary note, including to activists who lead with the best of intentions, but without always putting in the time to think things fully through.

What is it they say about the road to hell?


__________


Alternatively, Banksy could just be using clever placement to have a good laugh.





Wish I had thought of this myself, but it sadly never even occurred to me.

Cheers for the insight.

Thank you met! Great thoughts plus highlighting the relevant bits of this thread.

Great piece. Great thread.

This is why we’re here.

This. And to swap stickers. 

It seems that in the world, each of us has 7 people who look like him. Do you think there isn't anyone out there who has the same tastes and interests as you? Or that he accomplished what you will accomplish in a few months or more? We are all children of this Universe. For better or for worse it is like this.

*obviously this is my thought. 

What Banksy did or said before, I learn for the first time from your words. Growing up, with experience, I think many of us would say 50% less than we did years before. We often speak out of instinct or perhaps even out of bravado. Then over the years, we understand more about the world that revolves around us, and many things are smoothed out or completely changed even in our way of seeing things. We are humanoids in deep analysis with ourselves. The complexity of the human race and its way of reasoning has no equal anywhere on the planet.

Happy to confirm it's still 100% intact as of now. Just passed by.

God only knows what the landlord is playing at - is there a shortage of perspex in north London or something?

Met you are probably right about the third photo being the final version.

What a risk though. He finishes most of it, removes any scaffold or awnings or equipment, takes a photo from far away and then goes back in to respray. And all in broad daylight!

Haha... That is probably more likely than Banksy returning to it. Nature gave the finishing touch itself

What if the spray paint is temporary? What do you think about it? That is, what if it rains and the spray paint washes off? It would be a fantastic and one of a kind effect! A temporary spray paint! 😎

It all makes me wonder what Mark H Stephens thinks of his involvement of all this 🤔

Water-based spray paint - interesting twist! Let nature destroy it. 😎

Local weather forecast suggests rainfall from Friday.

Big ugly fence up now