Bomb Middle England Banksy

Bomb Middle England by Banksy depicts a stereotypically English setting. Elderly ladies are playing boules on a standard village green , the grass is the only element of colour in otherwise muted tones. In a sardonic twist however, this is not your average game of boules, the ladies are actually rolling cannonballs, with lit fuses. The artwork can be seen either as the way in which the elite of the country are immune from the atrocities of war, and consider warfare as little more than a game to be played at leisure. Or, an alternative theory suggests that these elderly resident, who are themselves wearing hats akin to that of a military helmet – are literally bombing Middle England – with their presence, attitudes and values. It may or may not be relevant to note that the term ‘bombing’ is often used to describe a piece of quickly completed graffiti. The first time we saw this piece was as a mural sprayed in Bristol, South West England, where Banksy is said to be from originally. As a Banksy art, this piece is well-known and is regularly in demand; its relatively low edition size contributes to its desirability – there are just 50 Bomb Middle England signed prints and 500 unsigned prints.