Thursday March 28th, 2024
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Banksy: Firmly #WithSyria

Marking the third anniversary of the ongoing conflict in Syria, the notorious street artist has reworked one of his iconic pieces to show solidarity with the cause.

Staff Writer

Banksy: Firmly #WithSyria

The legendary Banksy has, in a short period of time, become a household name, while shedding a light on the importance of graffiti as an artistic medium. Although Banksy's identity is still unknown, his works have appeared all over the world. One of his most iconic pieces to date is the image of a girl holding a heart shaped balloon. The original stencil first appeared in London, and likely inspired the girl holding a bunch of balloons that Banksy placed on the wall annexing Palestine from Israel.

The latest Banksy reincarnation of the girl with the red balloon has the girl wearing a hijab in commemoration of the third anniversary of the ongoing conflict in Syria. The recreation is attempt to promote #WithSyria, a campaign to rally support for the victims of the conflict. In a statement on his website, the artist references the 15 children whose detention for writing pro-democracy graffiti triggered the first protests against the Assad regime in March 2011. The protests "led to an outbreak of violence across the country that would see a domestic uprising transform into a civil war displacing 9.3 million people from their homes."

Countries wishing to show their solidarity with the cause have decided to project Banksy's newest rendition on various international landmarks including the Eiffel Tower and Nelson's column. The image will also be recreated and projected simultaneously in squares around the world on the 13th of March.