“Bethlehem” is a piece of street art created by the renowned graffiti artist Banksy in 2005. This work is a part of the street art movement, which includes public, often unsanctioned artwork that frequently has a potent social or political message.
The artwork depicts a scene where a concrete wall has a large crack painted on it, through which a picturesque view of a beach lined with palm trees is visible. In the foreground, two children are drawn in black and white stencil style, which is characteristic of Banksy’s work. They are squatting next to the makeshift crack in the wall, with one child seemingly holding a brush or tool, creating an illusion as if they have just cracked open the wall to reveal the idyllic tropical scene behind it. The juxtaposition of the dull gray wall and the vibrant beach scene, as well as the presence of the barbed wire fence in front of the concrete slab, suggests a contrast between confinement and freedom, and may imply a deeper commentary on escape or the search for paradise amidst bleak surroundings.
