Petrolhead
Petrolhead
Mixed Media
Banksy
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31 x 31cm, Edition of 25, Mixed Media
Medium: Mixed Media
Edition size: 25
Year: 2003
Size: H 31cm x W 31cm
Signed: No
Format: Mixed Media
Last Auction: October 2011
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Meaning & Analysis
Banksy's 2003 Petrolhead is a stencilled spray-paint multiple on canvas, from an edition of 25, depicting a stick figure holding a petrol nozzle to his head. The work satirizes humanity’s self-destructive and ecologically destructive dependency on fossil fuels.
In this image Banksy depicts a stick figure holding the nozzle of a petrol pump to his head. The image suggests the figure is killing himself using the petrol gun. The title of the work references the nickname given to an individual who is passionate about cars to the point of obsession, preferring motor vehicles above all other forms of transport.
Banksy’s artwork links a love of cars to a metaphorical gun to the head due to the connection between fossil fuels and the climate crisis and the disastrous impact society’s overuse of cars is having on the environment.
Petrolhead was first made available at Banksy’s Santa Ghetto pop-up on London’s Oxford Street in December 2003. Along with prints and paintings by Banksy, the shop also sold works by Jamie Hewlett, Faile, Massive Attack's 3D and other street artists – with prices starting at as little as £40. On the Ghetto, Banksy sardonically commented: “The Ghetto is partly a shameless commercial enterprise, and partly about promoting art. But basically it is a piss-take on Christmas.” Just as the anonymous street artist said that his Love Rat screen print would make an “ideal [gift] for a cheating spouse”, Petrolhead could similarly be the perfect gift for a climate change sceptic.
Renowned British street artist, Banksy, is the enigmatic figure behind some of the most subversive works in the Urban Art scene. Despite his anonymity, the artists' disruptive stunts have not only gained him notoriety, but they have vocalised his stance on many social and political issues. As seen with the likes of Girl With Balloon and Napalm, Banksy uses his distinctive stencil technique to produce thought-provoking commentaries on challenging themes. The showcase of rebellion that lines his work has caused his secondary market value to soar in recent years, propelling him to the top of the Urban Art scene.
