Banksy – Love is in the Air

This is an iconic image from Banksy. An angry rioter, his face hidden by a bandana, prepares to throw a bunch of flowers. This image has been reproduced in the form of prints, phone cases, t-shirts, and even tattoos. It also appeared on the front and back cover of Banksy’s book Wall and Piece, a compilation of photographs of his work published in 2005.

Banksy stenciled this image in London, but a huge version of it also appeared on a garage wall in Bethlehem, near Jerusalem, in 2003. As a visual statement, it clearly shows Banksy’s feelings about violence: by showing flowers instead of Molotov cocktails, it suggests using peace and hope as a weapon instead of destruction.