Rats appear in Banksy’s recurring stencil images as symbols of urban survival.
Banksy has used rats in many paintings and stencils, often placing them in settings associated with walls, pavements and other city spaces. Their ability to live around human development makes them a natural fit for work about marginalised people, persistence and life outside official systems.
The rat images can be humorous, political or self-referential. Some carry signs, paint, umbrellas or other objects, while others simply occupy the urban environment like the people who pass through it.
Rats are not Banksy’s only animal subject. Monkeys, elephants, birds and mice also appear in his work, so a particular image must be identified by its details. The recurring rat motif, however, is one of the clearest signatures associated with his street art.