London, New York, Bristol (Heavy Weaponry) is an extremely rare early canvas by Banksy, which was first released as an original spray painting in 2000. The work predates Banksy’s famous stencil on cardboard work entitled Heavy Weaponry, that was originally created over another Banksy work, Radar Rat.
This image exemplifies Banksy’s simple yet effective compositions that capture his adamant anti-war stance. The stencilled image is rendered in a muted palette and shows an elephant with a rocket strapped to its back, making the title a playful double-entendre. The elephant motif resonates with Banksy’s frequent use of animals as symbols of the common people, as opposed to the privileged few or the establishment, such as in his Rat series or prints like Monkey Queen and Laugh Now.
