Banksy's ninth mural unleashes London Zoo animals

Depiction of gorilla releasing animals is the final in the series

LONDON:

Elusive street artist Banksy's ninth animal-themed mural in nine days, unveiled on August 13 on a shutter outside London Zoo, depicted a gorilla releasing animals from the zoo, tying together the series of artworks.

Claimed by the artist on Instagram, the mural outside London Zoo showed a gorilla lifting the shutter to free birds and a seal, with some animals staring out from the inside.

It is the latest in Banksy's series populating the British capital with animals, starting with a goat revealed on July 29, followed by two elephants the next day and then monkeys, a wolf, pelicans, a cat, piranhas and a rhinoceros in subsequent days. The BBC reported that the piece was the last in the series.

"You can see the watchful eyes, which to me look a little bit uncertain about whether they want to be free," said Dr Sharmela Darne about the eyes of animals staring from behind the shutter in the latest artwork.

"But the seal's clearly going away, and so are the birds flying free… so maybe it's about freedom and being unsure about freedom," Dr Darne said.

For many, the animal safari has added some positivity to their week, as the country reeled following the death of three girls in a stabbing and ensuing violent riots.

Speaking in front of two pelicans painted over a fish shop in Walthamstow, north-east London, Mr Peter McCarthy said it has been "very nice to have it in this particular week".

"Very nice that he's been around the country when there's been such trouble. Doing these wonderful things."

For others, the choice of animals has meaning, with some finding the goat similar to a Palestinian mountain gazelle and others pointing out the artist's previous work on climate crisis.

Three of the artworks have already been removed or stolen, and the rhino revealed on August 12 was defaced the same day.

A satellite dish painted with the wolf was stolen within hours of being claimed by Banksy, with the cat on a billboard removed by contractors and a police box painted with swimming piranhas removed by the local authority to ensure it was "properly protected".

Speaking in front of the cat on August 10 before it was removed, dentist Mitul Patel said he wished "people would leave his work alone so that other people could enjoy it as well". AFP