Don't Forget Your Scarf (2009) is a classic example of Banksy’s razor-sharp wit and satirical take on generational and cultural conflict. In this intimate yet ironic scene, a sweetly dressed elderly woman gently ties a red bandana over the face of a green-mohawked punk clad in a spiked leather jacket, complete with an anarchist flag in hand. The background, rendered in Victorian-style gold and wallpaper patterning, and the oval frame, echoing a vintage family portrait, heighten the tension between rebellion and domesticity.
The punk’s aggressive symbolism (spikes, chains, anarchist insignia) is rendered almost farcical as his mother lovingly prepares him for protest, like he’s being dressed for school. In one stroke, the work dismantles the performative edge of rebellion while simultaneously honouring the complexity of love and identity formation.
