Lithograph, heavyweight vellum paper, 70 x 50 cm (sheet), limited edition, numbered in pencil 108/150, hand-signed in pencil under the composition, publisher's dry stamps: p.d." P.O.W. PRINTMAKING", l.d. graphic mark, "verification of authenticity" hologram on the back.
Banksy is a British street artist who has gained international fame for his provocative and often politically engaged works. His works, mostly done in stencil techniques, can be found on the streets of cities around the world. Banksy is known for remaining anonymous, and his identity is still the subject of speculation today.
His art often includes humorous graphics and symbols that are combined with slogans. The overall message of his works is anti-war, anti-capitalist and pacifist. Among his best-known works are "Girl with a Balloon," "Bomb Hugger," "Police Kids," "Pulp Fiction" and "Flower Thrower."
Banksy is also known for carrying out spectacular performances. For example, in October 2018, shortly after his work "Girl with a Balloon" was sold at auction at Sotheby's auction house for more than £1 million, the painting partially self-destructed, causing great surprise among those present.
Banksy's work with a leopard and a barcode can be interpreted as a commentary on the freedom and limitations of modern society. As a symbol of strength, speed and adaptability, the leopard may represent the desire for freedom and independence that is innate in human nature. On the other hand, the barcode, a ubiquitous symbol of consumerism and commercialization, may symbolize the limitations imposed by society and the market economy.
In the context of Banksy's art, the leopard trapped in the barcode may express the conflict between natural instincts and social and economic structures that restrict individual freedom. This combination of an animal symbolizing wildness and independence with a mechanical, artificial element such as a barcode creates a powerful image of the contradiction between nature and the man-made world.
The artist often uses his works to draw attention to the ironies and paradoxes of our times.
