LONDON, May 5. /TASS/. The statue in central London, installed by the anonymous British street artist Banksy, has become a pilgrimage site for fans and tourists, a TASS correspondent has confirmed.
The installation is located on Waterloo Place in Westminster, a few hundred meters from Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. The sculpture depicts a man in a business suit striding forward with a fluttering flag in his hands. The flag, however, covers his face, and he appears unaware that his left foot is already hanging over the edge of a precipice.
People are constantly gathering around the pedestal, which is cordoned off, to take photos and selfies with the statue in the background. A group of tourists from the Middle East approaches from Regent Street, as a tour guide explains Banksy’s work and points out the artist’s signature at the base.
The sculpture was unveiled on April 29 near monuments to King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Florence Nightingale, and the Crimean War memorial, though attention is now focused almost entirely on the new work. Banksy posted a video on his social media showing the installation, confirming his authorship.
The Daily Telegraph published a cartoon depicting Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the style of Banksy’s work, portraying him as heading toward defeat in the May 7 regional elections while carrying the flag of the ruling Labour Party. Several opinion polls point to a similar outcome.
