Banksy, Choose Your Weapon
Key Takeaways
Banksy’s Choose Your Weapon brings together two generations of street art through one of the most recognisable symbols of Keith Haring’s career. First appearing as a mural in Bermondsey in 2010, the work depicts a hooded young man holding a chain attached to Haring’s unmistakable Barking Dog, transforming an image associated with 1980s New York into a commentary on contemporary violence, prejudice and protest.
In this video, Jasper Tordoff looks at the references and ideas behind Choose Your Weapon, including Banksy’s portrayal of disaffected youth, the significance of Haring’s influence and the meaning embedded within the work’s title. We also trace the unusual history of the original mural, which Banksy returned to protect after it was boarded over, and the subsequent screenprint release that became one of the most memorable of his career.
Released in 19 colourways, the series ranges from pink, gold and turquoise editions to the now-famous grey Queue Jump edition, created after huge crowds descended on the original release and many collectors left empty-handed. As Banksy’s final new editioned print series to receive a public release, Choose Your Weapon now occupies a particularly significant position within his printmaking career.
