Last August a series of animal-themed Banksy artworks appeared across London over nine days, including a goat on a ledge, elephant silhouettes, three monkeys on a bridge, and two pelicans eating fish. Several works, including a howling wolf in Peckham, a stretching cat in Cricklewood, and a rhino on a broken-down Nissan Micra in Charlton, were stolen, defaced, or removed shortly after appearing. The tank of piranhas on a City of London police box was confirmed as a Banksy, moved from Ludgate Hill to Guildhall Yard, and will be placed into storage before a permanent display at the new London Museum in Smithfield opening in 2026. The acquisition expands the museum collection to include contemporary street art alongside historic material.
Last August, a slew of animal-themed Banksy artworks, including a goat perched on top of a small ledge, silhouettes of two elephants in windows reaching their trunks out toward each other, three monkeys swinging along a bridge and two pelicans eating fish, appeared across the capital over nine days, sending street art fans into a frenzy. A few of the pieces, like a howling wolf on a satellite dish in Peckham,
Speaking about the acquisition, Glyn Davies, London Museum's head of curatorial, said: "With the arrival of Banksy's Piranhas, our collection now spans from Roman graffiti to our first piece of contemporary street art. This work by one of the world's most iconic artists now belongs to Londoners, and will keep making waves when it goes on show next year in the Museum's new Smithfield home."
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