Banksy reflects, “[Rats] exist without permission. They are hated, hunted and persecuted. They live in quiet desperation amongst the filth. And yet they are capable of bringing entire civilisations to their knees. If you are dirty, insignificant and unloved then rats are the ultimate role model.”
We encounter a rat standing upright, adorned with headphones and holding a recording device in one hand and a radar in the other. Behind it, a red radio wave spiral looms ominously in the background, evoking themes of surveillance and monitoring.
Is Banksy commenting on the pervasive surveillance state that records and scrutinizes our every move? Is he also engaging in a meta-reflection, where he himself becomes the subject of scrutiny and chase by authorities? It's almost a provocative game of cat and mouse — catch him if you can.