Applause
Applause
Unsigned Print
Banksy
£10,000-£14,500
$20,000-$29,000 Value Indicator
$18,000-$27,000 Value Indicator
¥90,000-¥130,000 Value Indicator
€11,500-€16,000 Value Indicator
$100,000-$150,000 Value Indicator
¥2,050,000-¥2,970,000 Value Indicator
$13,000-$19,000 Value Indicator
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80 x 122cm, Edition of 500, Screenprint
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Meaning & Analysis
Banksy's Applause (2006) is an unsigned screen print from an edition of 500, depicting air traffic controllers directing a fighter jet. It mocks the glorification of war, suggesting that it is a media circus, with the "applause" sign held by one controller orchestrating popular approval for government actions.
Banksy is renowned for his social and political commentary expressed through his artworks, and Applause is no different. This powerful image is commenting on the media's glamorisation of modern warfare and its attempt to turn war into entertainment and glorify violence. This screen print is mostly monochromatic, except for the flash of bright yellow of the high-visibility vests worn by the two air traffic controllers. Another hint of colour comes in the red of their sign that reads ‘Applause,’ mimicking the format of a game show or sit-com the viewers might be watching at home, where the viewers are cued to cheer and clap through various placards. Similar anti-war statements are formulated by Banksy in notable works such as Happy Choppers and Have A Nice Day.