Following the launch of his new art piece, a dummy-filled immigrant boat during IDLES’ performance at Glastonbury 2024, Banksy has responded to criticism from Home Secretary James Cleverly, who called the stunt “vile”. The boat was a visual commentary on the current migrant crisis, but Cleverly slammed the piece and the celebration of “criminal actions which costs lives” at the festival. Banksy replied in a new Instagram post: “The Homeland Security called my Glastonbury boat ‘vile and unacceptable’ which seemed a bit over the top. The real boat I fund, the MV Louise Michael rescued 17 unaccompanied children from the central med on Monday night. As punishment, the Italian authorities have detained it – which seems vile and unacceptable to me.”
The stunt apparently took the members of IDLES by surprise, who had no idea of its inclusion in their set and subsequently posted about their shock on Twitter. Banksy shared his own footage of the immigrant boat on social media and seemingly hit back at Cleverly on Instagram. In a five-star review of IDLES’ Glastonbury performance, NME wrote: “Most astonishing, though, is tonight’s performance of ‘Danny Nedelko’. As ever, Talbot describes the song as a celebration of the bravery and the hard work of the immigrants who built our country’. And then something wholly unexpected (not least among the band themselves) happens. A fake life raft bearing life-jacketed dummies rears up through the audience.”
Banksy’s work has long centered around political commentary, with previous installations including a shredded painting that sold for a million pounds and murals in support of Black Lives Matter. The MV Louise Michael, which was detained by Italian authorities, is a real-life rescue vessel used to save refugees attempting dangerous crossings in the Mediterranean. Some critics have questioned the ethical stance of the artist’s work, but many argue that his pieces spark important conversations and debates about today’s most pressing social issues.
Banksy continues to be one of the most controversial artists of the modern age. His work often provokes strong reactions from politicians, the media, and the public alike. However, one thing is for sure, his pieces bring much-needed attention to social issues that are happening all over the world and question where our priorities lie
Read the full article on NME here: Read More