You never know where graffiti artist Banksy will turn up. Recently, the artist revealed new street art he created in Gaza, using it to bring attention to the destruction left in the wake of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict there.
The first piece, posted to the artist's Instagram account, is a take on Rodin's "The Thinker" statue, called "Bomb Damage."
The mysterious British street artist also left four other pieces around the city, with one featuring the quote:
"Gaza is often described as 'the world's largest open air prison' because no-one is allowed to enter or leave. But that seems a bit unfair to prisons - they don't have their electricity and drinking water cut off randomly almost everyday. -- Banksy"
Another piece features a kitten with a pink bow because "on the Internet, people only look at pictures of kittens."
The fourth piece is text-based and says "If We Wash Our Hands Of The Conflict Between The Powerful And The Powerless We Side With The Powerful - We Don't Remain Neutral."
Photos of all four pieces are available on the Street Art News website.
The artist also posted a video of his trip to the war-torn area, which includes footage of the city's tunnels that people use for smuggling in things like food and weapons.
Over 2,000 Palestinians lost their lives due to the conflict with Israel in Gaza. According to the United Nations, at least 70 percent of those people were civilians.
As expected, Banksy presented the video with a twist: as a tourist promotional piece.
"Make this the year you discover a new destination," the video states.
Banksy is an unknown English graffiti artist and political activist. His satirical graffiti has covered bridges, streets and walls of cities throughout the world. In 2010, Bansky released his first film, Exit Through The Gift Shop, which received a 2011 Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary.
Although many have guessed at Banksy's identity, no one really knows who he is. He retains his anonymity as his artwork, which is graffiti, is technically illegal, although highly sought out.
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[Photo Credit: Banksy/Instagram]
