BANKSY STREET ART // Sweep It Under The Carpet, 2006

  • Banksy Sweep It Under the Carpet 2006 London street art mural showing maid sweeping dirt under wallpaper
    Banksy, Sweep It Under The Carpet, 2006.
    Chalk Farm Road, London, England.
    © Banksy.
    Sweep It Under the Carpet appeared on Chalk Farm Road in North London in 2006 and remains one of Banksy’s most pointed satirical images. The mural depicts a maid in uniform, lifting the edge of a painted brick wall to sweep dirt beneath it. With its simple stencil execution and sharp wit, the piece highlights the tendency to conceal or ignore uncomfortable truths rather than confront them.
     
    The work has often been interpreted as a commentary on the Western world’s reluctance to address pressing global issues such as poverty and inequality. Originally painted onto the exterior of the White Cube gallery, the mural stayed visible for a short period before it was eventually removed. Its enduring legacy lies in its biting critique of political and social denial, wrapped in a deceptively light-hearted image.
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  • “Some things you can’t cover up with a coat of paint.”

    – Banksy

    Sweep It Under the Carpet transforms a mundane act of housekeeping into a biting metaphor. Banksy portrays a maid attempting to tidy away the untidy truths of society, concealing them instead of confronting them. The absurdity lies in the act itself — a futile gesture that exposes how often governments, institutions, and even individuals choose denial over responsibility.
    Through its simple staging and stark contrast between the domestic and the political, the piece suggests that uncomfortable realities can’t be hidden forever. The maid, a symbol of silent labour, becomes an unwitting accomplice in this collective act of avoidance. Subversive yet disarmingly clear, the work resonates as a reminder that ignoring problems only allows them to grow.
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