While Marina Abramović orchestrated a seven-minute silence, symbolizing a solemn reflection on a significant period of human history at Glastonbury, Banksy surprised attendees with an unexpected artistic intervention.
At Glastonbury, Banksy deployed an inflatable raft into the audience during a performance by the British band Idles. The Guardian, which initially broke the story, reported that the band was unaware of Banksy’s stunt until it unfolded.
Banksy’s latest artwork featured an inflatable raft designed to resemble those used by migrants crossing oceans. The raft included a group of dummies meant to depict migrants undertaking these dangerous journeys.
The raft reportedly appeared during the performance of the song. “Danny Nedelko,” which deals with immigration and includes lyrics such as: “Fear leads to panic, panic leads to pain / Pain leads to anger, anger leads to hate.”
On Sunday, Banksy shared a video of the raft during Idles’ performance, effectively confirming his authorship of the piece.
In previous works, the anonymous artist has explored themes of immigration, including one instance where he adorned a ship used for transporting rescued refugees with his iconic image: a girl reaching towards a heart-shaped lifebuoy balloon.
Banksy’s recent creation coincides with ongoing scrutiny of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s immigration policies. One contentious measure involves the government’s plan to deport asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally to Rwanda, a destination deemed safe by some conservative politicians.
