The artwork “Death” by the artist Banksy was created in 2005 and is part of the street art movement, specifically classified as graffiti. This piece exemplifies Banksy’s characteristic stencil technique and his engagement with social and political themes through street art.
The image features a monochromatic stencil graffiti of the Grim Reaper in a rowboat. The figure, traditionally associated with death, is depicted using stark black and white contrasts. Banksy’s rendition of the Grim Reaper places him casually in the boat with a scythe in hand, amplifying the juxtaposition of the everyday with the macabre. The graffiti is placed on a water-facing vertical surface, such as a barrier or the side of a boat, integrating the water below as part of the scene, which adds to the realism of the rowboat imagery. As is typical with Banksy’s work, the piece could be interpreted as a commentary on the inevitability of death, or perhaps a statement about how death is navigating through the waters of life.
