The origins of Valentine's Day can be found in ancient Rome. Like Halloween and Christmas, Valentine’s Day was originally a pagan festival which, over time, was co-opted into a Christian festival. Lupercalia (as it was originally named) was a raucous pagan fertility festival, celebrated on the 15th of February, where maidens were publicly whipped in the belief that it would boost their fertility. At direct odds with early Christian authorities, the festival was changed and tied to a Christian saint instead - Saint Valentine was chosen, thus giving way to the current naming convention.
Saint Valentine achieved sainthood through carrying out weddings in secret against the orders of a Roman Emperor who put a stop to weddings to raise men for his army. The emperor discovered Valentine’s action and had him put to death. Before his execution, he wrote a note to a young lady to whom he had restored sight, signing it ‘your Valentine’. Celebrating true love and devotion, his name and deeds have become synonymous with couples and, of course, love.
Thematically, the concept of love is expressed in a number of works by Banksy with each interaction offering a different perspective on what can be an all consuming emotion. We have chosen 4 seminal works that capture this emotion that inspires creativity, devotion and even our darker traits.
Love is in the Air - Eros — Romantic Love
Eros is a primal love that comes as a natural instinct for most people. It’s a passionate love displayed through physical affection. These romantic behaviours include, but are not limited to, kissing, hugging, intimacy and holding hands. This type of love is a desire for another person’s physical body. Flowers, a common romantic gift, carry with them a weight of symbolism and appreciation and can be seen as an expression of romantic love. Whilst being associated with the Israel Palestine conflict the image itself in Love is in the Air is universal. We can all relate to feelings of romance, of small little gestures and gifts to show our appreciation for our partner much like the bouquet held in the hands of the protagonist of the piece. Visually, the work is characteristic of the artist’s street stencil graffiti style and, in typical Banksy aplomb, features a contrasting image that can be interpreted as playful as well as more serious. Central to the image the figure, silhouetted in black and dressed as a militant, wears a baseball cap and bandana to disguise their identity in a pose commonly associated with the throwing of a petrol bomb. However, the “Banksy twist” reverses this notion as the figure throws a bouquet of flowers. Would Eros approve? Maybe not to the violent interpretation of the gesture but potentially to the romantic gesture itself.
Love Rat - Mania — Obsessive Love
Mania is an obsessive love towards a partner and can lead to unwanted jealousy or possessiveness. Most cases of obsessive love are found in couples with an imbalance of love towards each other. An imbalance of Eros and Ludus is the main cause of Mania. With healthy levels of playful and romantic love, the harm of obsessive love can be avoided. Indeed, obsession can lead to affairs where boundaries are not respected to, often, devastating effect. The motif for Love Rat first appeared as a street art piece mural in Liverpool on the door of an abandoned house. Famously, the artist also created another huge rat mural on the side of a pub which subsequently has
been removed. Love Rat, one of the artist’s most recognisable images, sees Banksy return to the familiar motif of the rat which so often appears across his prolific body of work. Executed in the artist’s signature stencil style, the central image is that of a rat holding a paintbrush as fresh, blood red paint from the recently painted heart drips down the scene. Promoted as “ideal for a cheating spouse” Love Rat makes us think of the duality of love with its capacity to cause pain as well as joy and the dangerous path that obsession and urges of these flesh, of possessiveness, can take us down.
Girl with Balloon - Storge familial love
Storge is a naturally occurring love rooted in parents and children, as well as best friends. It’s an infinite love built upon acceptance and deep emotional connection. This love comes easily and immediately in parent and child relationships. Deceptively simple, the artwork features a young girl reaching out to a balloon. As with many of the elusive artist’s pieces it communicates a raw and powerful message that belies the simple imagery. First appearing as street murals across London in 2002, the work famously was graffitied in Waterloo Bridge with the caption “there is always hope” amongst other locations in the city. In our latest blog we explore the meaning of the work, its history and popularity. On examining the work, the viewer is immediately drawn to both the figure of the young girl and the balloon. The red balloon, a symbol of childhood and innocence, floats just out of reach from the girl whose hair, like the balloon, is carried in the wind. A sense of duality inhabits the piece and the “message” of the work can be interpreted in two ways. Does the work show the loss of hope and innocence or is the girl reaching out, eagerly waiting to receive a love that she so desperately craves? Instantly relatable and inherently human, the work has come to symbolise the artist and his style and of a love that is nourishing.
Kids on Guns - Agape — Selfless Love
Agape is the highest level of love to offer. It’s given without any expectations of receiving anything in return. Offering Agape is a decision to spread love in any circumstances — including destructive situations. Agape is not a physical act, it’s a feeling, but acts of self-love can elicit Agape since self-monitoring leads to results. Kids on Guns depicts two children, hand in hand, standing upon a mound of weapons. Separating, or joining the two faceless children, is a heart shaped balloon. Brutal simplicity juxtaposes with complex subject matter whilst colour and composition interplay to produce a work that is intriguing, sombre and beautiful. The canvas presents the viewer with the silhouettes of a boy and girl holding children's toys and a heart balloon as they face each other on top of a hill of guns. Like many of the artist’s works, contrast is central to the piece. War and violence, innocence and hope, destruction and love are all conjured up in typical Banksy style. Indeed, it is the artist’s ability to capture such deep, universal notions and emotions that, perhaps, allows his work to resonate so globally. The pair of children, united against the destruction around them, carry with them the selfless love that we need as a society and world to support each other, embrace our differences and grow.
However you celebrate Valentine's Day (or not) we hope that you have enjoyed our article. For more information on our Banksy prints for sale and Banksy paintings for sale or to arrange a viewing in person or via video call, contact our gallery via sales@andipa.com or call +44 (0)20 7589 2371