Laugh
Now

Now synonymous with the name Banksy, the dejected, stencilled monkey of Laugh Now (2003) has become a key motif in the artist’s oeuvre. First commissioned by the Ocean Rooms nightclub on Morley Street in Brighton, it originally appeared as a six-metre long, spray painted mural, with the figure of the monkey repeated ten times in a row to form a backdrop to the Brighton bar.

In 2003 the piece was also released as 150 signed and 600 unsigned edition prints, along with 69 artist's proofs. In 2008, Ocean Rooms sold the painting at Bonham’s for what was then a record auction price of nearly half a million dollars. Today, Laugh Now is one of the most popular Banksy prints, and internationally recognised works.

Rendered in Banksy’s signature monochrome style, the forlorn monkey of Laugh Now wears only a sandwich board, bearing the words “Laugh now, but one day we’ll be in charge”. The heavy board, along with the monkey’s slumped shoulders and sunken eyes suggest that he is oppressed or enslaved.

Along with the rat, the monkey is one of Banksy’s most frequently used animal characters. Satirising the nature of humankind, Banksy uses these animals as didactic figures in his critical social commentary. The catchphrase on the board is also typical of those often used by the artist to convey powerful or poignant messages to his audience. To learn more, see our guides to the Monkey and Rat in Banksy's work.

Laugh Now could also be seen as a criticism of the way that humans have been treating animals, in particular our primate cousins, throughout the course of history to this day, whether poaching or capturing them for entertainment or medical testing. The provocative text on the board is both mocking and threatening, clearly suggesting that the character is preparing for an uprising, as if Banksy is warning his viewers of an imminent revolution.