The incredible Banksy has done it again. He came to prominence in his home city of Bristol for spray-can murals that commented in a playful fashion on matters such as law and order, consumerism, and war. The British street artist, whose subversive graffiti art has been bought by the likes of Angelina Jolie and Dennis Hopper, has just opened a new installation entitled The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill. It concentrates on the contradictory ways in which people see and use animals – for instance as food, pets, exotic beasts, and clothing.
In this work, entitled Chicken Nuggets, two bite-sized ready-to-eat pieces peck at a single-serving carton of tomato ketchup, watched over by their mother hen.
A second installation in the series shows what appears to be a leopard resting on a branch in a zoo enclosure, which turns out on closer inspection to be a fur coat. Another sees two fishfingers swimming gently around in a goldfish bowl.
Hit the jump for more images and a video.
More at the Wooster Collective.