The infamous smiley face also commonly resembles the anti-war movement that was prominent during the 80s. The 80s, in the UK, being a time of great social and cultural revolution as an influx of youth culture impacted art, literature and wider society of the time. Let us not, too, forget the societal and economic changes that imprinted themselves on the wider British public’s consciousness: Thatcher, the Miners Strike and the privatisation of major industries. Acid House too also entertained and represented anti-establishment views seeking to break free from conformity and rebel against the mainstream.
The yellow, rounded face that is recognisable across the globe captures, in such simple form, a weight of history and of meaning. Much like face, Banksy in each of his works, showcases his ability to convey complex emotions and themes.
The countdown is on, to what we wonder? As the hands of the clock, unfaltering and unwavering, move towards midnight the Grin Reaper sits there provoking, threatening and mocking us: the bright face of death himself contrasted with the black and white stencil. Death and humour delicately dance together as the artist’s playful and subversive wit confuses and shocks the viewer. Could this be the artist toying with the idea of Memento Mori? That death comes to us all and should be the impetus to all of us to live our lives to the fullest? So, in the words of Monty Python in their iconic song “Always Look On The Bright Side Of LIfe” maybe, “If life seems jolly rotten, There's something you've forgotten, And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing”.
Have A Nice Day shows a line of 27 riot police in a single flanking an armoured vehicle - the type commonly used to disperse riots and protests.Dressed in all black riot gear, the group, in unison, approach the unknown threat and face towards the viewer. The faces of the police, in contrast to the realism of their uniforms, weapons and the vehicle are replaced with the acid house smiley face which challenges and subverts our expectations. Intimidating or amusing? Both, perhaps? Banksy uses his wit to entice the view to mock and ridicule the establishment whilst questioning the authority that is given to such figures of power and control.
Flying Copper shows a riot policeman dressed in full combat gear equipped with a machine gun, helmet and walkie talkie. However, inhabiting the place of the character’s face is a large, round yellow (or pink) smiley face which is commonly associated with the Acid-house movement of the early 90’s. The paradoxical figure challenges the notion of a threatening police state with the subversive use of the cartoonish and childish face. Disarming our notions of an aggressive and overreaching policeman, Banksy can be seen to be attacking the establishment and mocking the perception of power that such arms of the state have conferred on them through our social contract.
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