Dumbo
Signed Print

This limited edition silkscreen print, finished with watercolour, was originally from a film Banksy created entitled, Rebel Rocket Attack. This was released on his website in 2013 as part of his residency in New York. The film showed what appeared to be Islamic militants using rocket launchers to bring down Dumbo the elephant known from Disney (a small child kicks one of the older extremists at the end), released with a statement from the artist saying, 'I'm not posting any pictures today. Not after this shocking footage has emerged.'

This artwork is commenting on a number of issues. Dumbo as a quintessential symbol of Disney and hence the American cultural export, might signify the American planes sent to the Middle East to fight the Islamic extremists. It also shows how easy it is to create propaganda videos that people might believe as truth. Commenters on the clip believed it “reflects the way we've been granted an insight into the Syrian conflict through videos uploaded onto the internet.”

The 2014 print, mostly black and white save for Dumbo’s corn-yellow watercolour hat, depicts a frazzled Dumbo lying on the ground as the extremists celebrate on top of and around him.