This Classic Banksy Art is Staying Safe from Coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic seems to affect every aspect of life in one way or another, and it turns out that street art is no exception. As people around the world don face masks to slow the spread of the virus, one of mysterious street artist Banksy’s most famous works has now been supplied with a cloth mask of its own.

Banksy’s iconic original painting, Girl with a Pierced Eardrum, is a parody of the Renaissance masterpiece Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer. Banksy’s work is largely the same as his Renaissance inspiration, except only that it’s painted on the side of a building in Bristol, England with an outdoor security alarm in place of the original painting’s earrings.

Now, as the coronavirus rages across the globe, Banksy’s work has been provided with a giant cloth mask, hooked around the security alarm. This makeover is unlikely to be Banksy’s own work, since he’s confirmed that he’s been staying indoors as he works from home.

Despite the lockdown, it’s still been a big year for the infamous street artist nonetheless. He’s remained active on his Instagram page, where he recently posted one of his recent pieces created as he “works from home.”

Additionally, film buffs may be especially aware of Banksy at this time of the year, since 2020 marks the tenth anniversary of his landmark documentary Exit through the Gift Shop, which we called “a formal art prank with an axe to grind” in our retrospective article. Don’t forget to check out our full feature on the iconic film.