At first glance, she could be a prototypical 1950s housewife, wearing an apron over a smart gingham dress, complete with yellow cleaning gloves. But this is a Banksy artwork on the side of a building we’re talking about, and the woman is pushing a freezer door closed — and a man’s legs are jutting out the other end.
The woman is also hurt. She appears to be missing a tooth, and an eye is swollen shut. And that’s where the title comes in: “Valentine’s Day mascara,” according to a post to Banksy’s Instagram account on Tuesday.
The most-liked reply to Banksy’s post reads: “Fighting violence used against women. Even on Valentines Day. Always!”
The artwork appeared in Margate, a city in southeastern England, becoming the latest locale for a graffiti installation by one of the world’s most famous living artists. It reportedly appeared on Monday; one day later, the local government removed the freezer that was a key part of the tableau, citing safety concerns.
But now the appliance “has been returned to its original position,” the Thanet District Council said on Wednesday, stating that the appliance “has now been made safe.” It did not provide details, saying only that work was done on the freezer “for health and safety reasons.”
“Banksy raises the important issue of domestic abuse in this artwork,” the council said. “We are in touch with the owner of the property to understand their intentions around the preservation of the piece and to secure the best possible outcome for the local community and victims of domestic abuse.”
9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004))
