Banksy - Rat Géant et ses Outils

This giant rat, rendered by the artist Banksy in two thousand four, stands as a piece of resilient graffiti history. Originally painted on the wall of the Foundry, an old Barclays Bank building that served as a legendary hub for Shoreditch artists, it survived for years hidden behind wooden hoardings as the site faced demolition. The rat is depicted holding a knife and fork, a detail that sparked years of speculation about whether the tools were intended for a meal or for breaking into cars. When the original building was finally torn down to make way for a hotel, the artwork was carefully salvaged and placed into storage, only to be reinstalled as a permanent fixture of the new development to satisfy local planning requirements.