• BANKSY    editions

  • Barcode, 2004

    Screen-print on wove paper

    50cm x 70cm

    Edition of 750 (150 Signed)

    Barcode, 2004

    Barcode, 2004 is a print release depicting a leopard that escaped a barcode cage. There are several ways this work can be interpreted. This fusion of the natural and artificial could be seen as drawing attention to the ways in which capitalism seeks to categorise and control the organic world.
     
    The barcode, a universal symbol of commerce, could also serve as a stand-in for humanity’s tendency to reduce nature to commodities, stripping away its inherent value. By portraying the leopard breaking free, Banksy could be evoking liberation, suggesting the possibility of nature reclaiming its autonomy from the constraints of human exploitation.

  • "If it doesn't matter, get rid of it. If you can't get rid of it, it matters"

     

    - Banksy

    Rendered in Banksy’s signature stencil style, the composition is striking in its simplicity. The choice to focus on a leopard—an endangered animal—further highlights the consequences of unchecked consumerism on the natural world, potentially pointing to issues like habitat destruction and species extinction. Despite varying interpretations, the artwork clearly invites viewers to question the impact of their own consumer habits and consider the costs of commodifying nature.