Mapped: The best of Banksy’s surviving UK artworks

He’s one of the world’s most famous street artists, yet Banksy’s murals – which are often installed overnight – have a tendency to be defaced or removed almost as quickly as they appear.

Luckily for fans, the secretive artist has been unusually active this fortnight, revealing a clutch of new animal-themed murals in locations across London.

It’s not clear yet what the meaning is behind the latest stencils, but some have suggested they may simply be Banksy’s attempt to brighten the public mood after recent rioting.

For where to see these, and other Banksy greats – from Bristol’s cheekily-positioned Well Hung Lover, to his Molotov-cocktail-throwing teddy and the Vermeer-inspired Girl with the Pierced Eardrum – read on.

London

See Banksy’s murals in situ, or visit an exhibition of his work, The Art of Banksy, which is running until January 2025 in Soho (100 Charing Cross Road).

Mountain Goat, 111 Kew Green, Richmond, TW9 3AP

Just beside Kew Bridge, a goat totters above a mounted security camera, a couple of rocks tumbling down the wall beneath it. This was the first mural to be revealed in Banksy’s new animal trail across London.

Elephants, 10 Edith Terrace, SW10 OTQ

The elephants in the room wave their trunks at each other from the windows of a house in Chelsea. The work was the second in Banksy’s animal trail.

Monkeys, 176c Brick Lane, E1 6SA

Three monkeys swing beneath train tracks on the side of a bridge carrying the London Overground line in East London. The area has been home to a handful of Banksy’s works over the years, as well as murals from other international street artists, including Stik, ROA and Jimmy C.

Pelicans, Bonners Fish Bar, 144 Northcote Rd, London, E17 7EB

Two birds toss fish with their beaks above the sign of a neighbourhood chippie. The owner is said to have been delighted to discover the mural. This was the fifth of Banksy’s new animal murals; another image of a wolf on a satellite dish was stolen shortly after it appeared in Peckham.

Rhino, 83 Westmoor St, Charlton, SE7 8NQ

A rhinoceros seems to mount a Nissan Micra that has a traffic cone in place of a horn on its bonnet. This is the eighth mural in Banksy’s animal series. The sixth, a cat stretching across a billboard in Charlton, and the seventh, a police box with piranhas, have since been removed from view.

Gorilla, London Zoo, NW1 4RY

Staff arriving at London Zoo were surprised to find a Banksy mural depicting a gorilla seemingly raising a shutter to allow other animals to escape underneath. This is the most recent animal mural in the series.

Tree, Christie Court, Hornsey Rd, N19 4HS

A bare tree burst into leaf when Banksy spray-painted green boughs onto a wall behind it. The work was soon defaced, however, and now has been boxed in, though it can still be viewed from one side.

Basquiat Welcomed by the Metropolitan Police, Barbican Centre, EC2Y 8DS

This mural heralded the arrival of a Jean-Michel Basquiet exhibition at the Barbican in 2017 and was quickly covered in perspex, so it remains. It shows a portrait of Basquiat being searched by police officers, inspired by Basquiat’s painting Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump (1982).

Designated Graffiti Area, 83 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY

Once a feature of the beer garden outside the former club Cargo (now an events space), this is one of Banksy’s better-known pieces, with a police officer leading a poodle on a leash.

The Painter, 2 Acklam Rd, London, W10 5QZ

Thought to be based on Velasquez, this mural of a man holding a palette sits on the exterior wall of the restaurant Prima Notting Hill.

Bristol

Banksy began his career in the city and several of his works remain. You can take a self-guided walking tour to discover them, with a number of companies offering apps to download that include background information and maps.

Girl with a Pierced Eardrum, Hanover Place BS1 6UT

Banksy’s take on Vermeer’s painting sees a security alarm replace the earring, hence the pierced eardrum referred to in the title.

Well Hung Lover, viewed from Park Street, BS1 5HH

One of Banksy’s older murals, featuring the image of a man hanging, naked and shame-faced, beneath a window, this still raises a smile and is best viewed from Park Street, on the bridge that crosses Frogmore Street.

Grim Reaper, M Shed, Wapping Road, BS1 4RN

For years, this was one of Banksy’s most iconic pieces, a stencil of the grim reaper bobbing on the side of the legendary Thekla nightclub. The work is now kept safe inside the M Shed museum on the docks nearby.

The Mild Mild West, The Canteen, Hamilton House, 80 Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY

Bristolians have an affinity with this cuddly cartoon, as the teddy with attitude seems to embody the city’s independent spirit. The mural is on full view from the outdoor seating at this grungy vegetarian restaurant.

Elsewhere

Banksy’s Reindeer, 90 Vyse St, Birmingham, B18 6JZ

Reindeer gallop off into the night, pulling a bench (and whoever is seated on it) behind them.

Kissing Coppers, 28 Frederick Place, Brighton, BN1 4EA

One of Banksy’s most memorable works, the original mural has been removed from the side of the Prince Albert pub, but a replica stands in its place, adored by locals and surrounded by other colourful street art.

All in the Same Boat, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, NR33

Children captain a makeshift boat above a landspring drain in Nicholas Everitt Park. The mural initially used a piece of corrugated iron for its boat, but this was removed by the council. There are now two viewing platforms though.

Go Big or Go Home, Merrivale Model Village, Great Yarmouth, NR30 3JG

Banksy’s Great British Spraycation saw a handful of amusing murals turn up in East Anglia in 2021. One of them was painted, in secret, onto the side of a stable in a model village. The tiny image visible today is a replica.

Bus Stop Dancers, 62 Admiralty Road, Great Yarmouth, NR30 3DQ

An older couple dances on top of a bus shelter. They are accompanied by a man on an accordion – perhaps a reference to Great Yarmouth’s heyday.

Arcade Grabber, Gorleston Beach, Great Yarmouth NR31 6DJ

This fun piece is popular with selfie-takers, who can seat themselves underneath a giant arcade machine claw. It’s located by the pond on the seafront.