What is the title of Banksy’s 1999 Bristol mural showing a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail?
Answer
The Mild Mild West
Banksy’s 1999 Bristol mural showing a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail is titled The Mild Mild West.
The mural is painted on a wall at the junction of Stokes Croft and Jamaica Street in Bristol, England. It shows a riot police officer facing a teddy bear that is about to throw a Molotov cocktail. The image combines the visual language of political protest with a deliberately childlike symbol.
The title is a pun on the western film title The Wild Wild West. It also reflects the mural’s setting in an area known for nightlife, independent businesses and political activism. The work is often discussed as one of Banksy’s most important early public murals.
The Mild Mild West is sometimes confused with Banksy’s later Flower Thrower images, which show a masked protester throwing flowers. Those works use a different composition and theme.