BANKSY // Rats

  • Banksy Radar Rat
    Banksy, Radar Rat, 2003.
    Spray-paint on cupboard door, 57 × 25.8 cm.
    © Banksy.
     
    Rats have been a recurring motif in Banksy’s work since the late 1990s, appearing on walls, prints and canvases across the world. To Banksy, rats are both survivors and outcasts, creatures that thrive in the margins while being despised by those in power. The word “rat” itself is an anagram of “art,” a connection the artist has openly acknowledged, using the animal as a stand-in for the outsider artist.
     
    In his view, rats exist without permission, evade authority and can cause disruption on a scale far greater than their size might suggest. Throughout his career, Banksy’s rats have carried messages about resistance, persistence and the subversive potential of art made outside institutional control. Whether wielding placards, climbing walls or simply existing in unexpected places, they remain one of his most enduring and politically charged symbols.
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  • ORIGINS OF THE MOTIF

  • "They exist without permission.They are hated, hunted, and persecuted..."  

    - Banksy

    The rat first emerged as a central motif in Banksy’s work during the late 1990s, drawing inspiration from French street artist Blek le Rat, who was known for stencilling large rodents across Paris. Banksy adapted the idea, making the rat his own by embedding it with sharper political and cultural meaning. To him, rats symbolise resilience, rebellion and survival in hostile environments, thriving without permission in the cracks of society. This made them the perfect metaphor for street art itself, which operates outside institutional approval and often in defiance of authority. From these early appearances on the streets of Bristol, the rat quickly evolved into one of Banksy’s most recognisable and enduring symbols, carrying his messages of dissent to walls and public spaces across the globe.
    • Banksy’s 2004 Love Rat holds paintbrush with dripping heart, iconic urban rodent street art.

      Love Rat, 2004

      © Banksy.
    • Banksy’s 2004 Because I’m Worthless rat holds placard, witty and highly collectable street art.

      Because I'm Worthless, 2004

      © Banksy.
    • Banksy’s 2004 Rat with Umbrella stencil shows rodent under rain, playful and charming design.

      Rat with Umbrella, 2004

      © Banksy.
    • Banksy’s 2006 Bronze Rat sculpture transforms his graffiti motif into striking three-dimensional form.

      Bronze Rat, 2006

      © Banksy.
    • Banksy’s 2006 Roadwork Rat artwork shows rodent with construction sign, witty urban street piece.

      Roadwork Rat, 2006

      © Banksy.
    • Banksy’s 2009 Rat with Roller defaces Hirst spot painting, clever and humorous art crossover.

      Rat with Roller on Spot Painting, 2009

      © Banksy.
    • Banksy’s 2011 If Graffiti Changed Anything It Would Be Illegal slogan stencil, iconic urban artwork.

      If Graffiti Changed Anything It Would Be Illegal, 2011

      © Banksy.
    • Banksy’s 2020 If You Don’t Mask, You Don’t Get artwork promotes safety with witty masked rats.

      If You Don't Mask, You Don't Get, 2020

      © Banksy.

  • POLITICAL COMMENTARY

  • Banksy’s rat motif carries a sharp political edge, functioning as a stand-in for society’s overlooked, marginalised and rebellious. In his...
    Banksy, Our Time Will Come, 2004.
    Natural History Museum, London, April 2004.
    © Banksy.
    Banksy’s rat motif carries a sharp political edge, functioning as a stand-in for society’s overlooked, marginalised and rebellious. In his view, rats exist outside the structures of power, surviving without permission and often thriving in the shadows. This makes them an ideal metaphor for those who resist authority and challenge the status quo. Across his career, Banksy has used rats to comment on inequality, state control and the suppression of dissent, turning a despised urban pest into a symbol of resilience and subversion. Their placement on city walls and in unexpected public spaces reinforces their message, reminding viewers that change often comes from those working quietly, persistently and far from the centres of power.