A new mural which appeared in Bristol on Friday (December 11), and depicts an elderly woman doing a sneeze so forceful that her dentures come out, has been claimed by Banksy.
The artist confirmed the news on Instagram, posting three images of the work with the caption: “Aachoo!!” It’s the latest in a handful of coronavirus-themed artworks created by Banksy over the past year.
In April, the elusive artist shared a piece he’d been working on while stuck at home during lockdown: a series of rats wreaking havoc in his bathroom. Sharing the work on Instagram, Banksy said: “My wife hates it when I work from home.”
The following month, the artist dedicated a new artwork to the NHS. Titled Game Changer, it depicted a boy playing with a superhero doll of a nurse. The piece was displayed in a Southampton hospital with a note that read: “Thanks for all you’re doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if it’s only black and white.”
Then, in July, Banksy returned to the streets, painting mischievous rats on the London Underground – some sneezing, some using masks as parachutes, and some doing their own graffiti. These works didn’t last long, though, as they were quickly removed by TfL. The transport network said it would like “to offer Banksy the chance to do a new version of his message for our customers in a suitable location”. Boring.
See the new piece below, and look back at our investigation into whether Art Attack’s Neil Buchanan is actually Banksy here.