Banksy has unveiled a new artwork that highlights domestic violence against women.
The elusive graffiti artist posted images of a piece created on a white wall to his social media on Tuesday (14 February).
Titled Valentine’s day mascara, the painting depicts a smiling Fifties housewife wearing yellow washing-up gloves and a pinafore over her dress appearing to push her husband into a chest freezer.
The housewife has a swollen eye and a chipped tooth that becomes more visible the closer the piece is looked at.
According to people commenting on social media, the location of the artwork is a wall off Grosvenor Place in Margate, Kent.
In the photos posted by the Bristol-born artist, there is a variety of rubbish on the ground in front of the artwork, including a broken white garden chair, a blue crate and an empty beer bottle.
Due to the timing of Banksy’s post, as well as the piece’s title, this artwork is considered a specific reference to violence against women on Valentine’s Day – a time when much focus is given to romantic love.
Fans have chimed in with their appreciation of the artwork’s message in the comments section of his Instagram post.
“Go Banksy. Always nailing it with the statement,” wrote one, while another supporter added: “Fighting violence used against women. Even on Valentine’s Day. Always!”
Late in 2022, Banksy created art in Ukraine, using the wall of a war-torn building in Borodyanka, 35 miles from Kyiv, as the base for a spray-painted piece.
Pictures posted on his official Instagram showed a woman in a leotard doing a handstand in the painting, while another painting in his signature style showed a child throwing a man onto the floor.
In December, the anonymous graffiti artist announced he had created 50 screenprints which would be sold to raise funds for a charity supporting the people of Ukraine.
Additional reporting by PA
