Anonymous street artist Banksy has posted a series of images on Instagram of an artwork inside his bathroom that features his famous mice that turn the room upside down. Due to the UK being in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, the artist has been forced, like many others, to work from home. Banksy has painted images depict nine rats with the caption: ‘my wife hates it when I work from home.’
The nine rats are seen climbing into shelves, swinging from towel hooks, hanging from lamp cord, and unraveling a toilet roll. One rat is seen weeing into the toilet and another is seen swinging from a toilet roll holder and squeezing toothpaste with its foot.
Banksy has previously used the rats to make social commentary. Inspired by French graffiti artist Blek le Rat, Banksy began his career stenciling rodents across England with phrases such as “Because I’m Worthless” and “Our Time Will Come”.
The artist’s rats have been interpreted as a symbol for the idea that while efforts are constantly made to remove graffiti from walls, it continues to reappear – just like rats.
