Banksy b. 28 July 1974
Napalm (Signed), 2004
Screenprint on paper
50 x 70 cm
19 69/100 x 27 14/25 in.
19 69/100 x 27 14/25 in.
Napalm (Signed) is one of Banksy’s most provocative and politically charged works, released in 2004. In this striking screenprint, Banksy reimagines the harrowing image of Phan Thi Kim Phuc—the young,...
Napalm (Signed) is one of Banksy’s most provocative and politically charged works, released in 2004. In this striking screenprint, Banksy reimagines the harrowing image of Phan Thi Kim Phuc—the young, naked Vietnamese girl fleeing a napalm attack during the Vietnam War—by placing her between two iconic figures of American consumerism: Ronald McDonald and Mickey Mouse.
Rendered in stark black and white with bold silhouettes, the image captures Kim Phuc’s terrified expression and outstretched arms, held tightly by the smiling mascots. The contrast is jarring: the carefree corporate icons flanking a symbol of war trauma serves as a critique of Western capitalist indifference and media sanitization of violence.
The piece is a clear indictment of American foreign policy, the commercialization of suffering, and the power dynamics of global imagery. Banksy's juxtaposition forces the viewer to confront uncomfortable truths about culture, exploitation, and complicity.
Rendered in stark black and white with bold silhouettes, the image captures Kim Phuc’s terrified expression and outstretched arms, held tightly by the smiling mascots. The contrast is jarring: the carefree corporate icons flanking a symbol of war trauma serves as a critique of Western capitalist indifference and media sanitization of violence.
The piece is a clear indictment of American foreign policy, the commercialization of suffering, and the power dynamics of global imagery. Banksy's juxtaposition forces the viewer to confront uncomfortable truths about culture, exploitation, and complicity.