Queen Ziggy and the Idea of Monarchy in Banksy Street Art

Queen Ziggy and the Idea of Monarchy in Banksy Street Art

Not long after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, on September 21, the stencil depicting the deceased Head of State appeared on Reading Bridge in Caversham. This piece of news doesn’t sound somehow surprising except for one detail. The graffiti artwork was made in the style of Banksy street art, which stirred up public attention. Many people wondered whether the world’s most wanted artist had struck again after a long pause.

As it turned out, it was not Banksy but Peachy, a rising street art star who is called the new Banksy due to the stylistic similarities between their techniques. If the Bristolian icon had painted a mural dedicated to monarchy, it would have been something much different. The Queen as Ziggy Stardust is an excellent example of the painter’s attitude to monarchy. Let’s elaborate on that!

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