[dropcap style=”font-size:100px;color:#992211;”]A[/dropcap]s Extinction Rebellion protesters cleared their base camp at Marble Arch in London yesterday, it seems Banksy left a poignant memorial to the climate change group’s actions over the past 10 days, as well as galvanising hope for the future.
Overnight on Thursday, a mural appeared depicting a young girl holding an Extinction Rebellion sign crouching by a freshly planted sapling, with the caption: ‘From this moment despair ends and tactics begin.’ The Bristolian street artist has not confirmed the piece as his at time of writing, but a source close to the matter says it is likely the piece is by Banksy as he has been on board with Extinction Rebellion for some time.
Another Bristol-based artist and musician, Robert Del Naja (or 3D in graffiti circles) has been a vocal supporter of Extinction Rebellion. His band, Massive Attack, played a surprise hour-long set last Sunday night at Marble Arch, going under the name The Stroud Village Green Band. Rumours that Del Naja is Banksy have circulated for years, but are unsubstantiated.
According to the BBC, protestors are now working to protect the mural. Londoner Calvin Benson, 48, told the news service he had camped at the site last night because the work “needs to be preserved, we’ve just had an historical event over the last 10 days”.
Source: The Art Newspaper
Image: Leon Neal / Getty Images
Naila Scargill is the publisher and editor of horror journal Exquisite Terror. Holding a broad editorial background, she has worked with an eclectic variety of content, ranging from film and the counterculture, to political news and finance.
Sian