| Gorilla in a Pink Mask | |
| Artist: | Banksy |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Medium: | Graffiti |
| Subject: | Gorilla |
| Metric Unit: | cm |
| Imperial Unit: | in |
Gorilla in a Pink Mask is an early graffiti work by Banksy. In 2011, it was painted over by Saeed Ahmed's new Muslim cultural centre in Bristol. It originated from 2002.[1]
Monkeys are a recurring motif in Banksy's works.[2] They can be found listening to music on headphones or in one case preparing to detonate a bomb. The artist uses them to portray both famous and everyday people, drawing parallels between humans and their closest relatives in the animal kingdom. Alongside Banksy's recurring subjects, which includes rats and police, he frequently uses monkeys to critique of power, corruption, and consumerism.
Gorilla in a Pink Mask is believed to be the first time he used a primate, making it a precursor to Devolved Parliament,[3] [4] [5] 2009, a work in oil that depicts chimpanzees and some orangutans debating in the House of Commons. Other works have included Laugh Now, 2003, which showed a row of apes with aprons with the inscription “Laugh now, but one day we'll be in charge” and Monkey Queen, 2003, where one is used as a stand-in for Queen Elizabeth II.
Named variously as Masked Gorilla, Glitter Gorilla and Pink Gorilla, the work is most commonly called Gorilla in a Pink Mask. It first appeared on the wall of the former North Bristol Social Club in Fishponds Road, Eastville, Bristol. This later became the Jalalabad Cultural Centre (Mosque), where it was painted over in 2011 by Saeed Ahmed, the owner of the centre. In September 2020, it was removed from the centre with permission by art restoration company Exposed Walls, which now owns the work.[6]