Banksy’s Lady Justice Art in Irony

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The Lady Justice, as portrayed by the graffiti artist Banksy, is a stark contrast to the traditional madamn of fairness. Normally, Justice is portrayed in a floor length robe, holding a sword in one hand, and the scales of Truth and Fairness in the other, whilst donning a blindfold, so as to remain objective, and not give favor to anyone, regardless of wealth or identity. She is a symbol of integrity, decorating courtrooms and judicial buildings the world over. This version however, gives a feeling of paranoia, making one feel that despite the symbols of integrity, she is not playing with a full deck. Maybe someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes? Here traditional floor length skirt is pulled up to reveal a troubling sight. The lady of Fairness and Truth is wearing thigh length boots, a garter and a thong. And the pedestal upon which she stands is marred with the words, “Trust No one.” This decidedly vulgar portrayal brings even more vulgar thoughts to mind. Has the system, of which she is the avatar, become so corrupt? Is Lady Justice dancing on poles and jumping through hoops for the dollar bills stuffed into her garter? This statue stands facing accusingly towards the British Royal Courts of Justice, the rooftops of which can be seen from the statue itself. The solid bronze nature of the statue suggests that the the implied accusation is firm and resolute, that the real Madam Justice has become a prostitute to the very wealthy, making a mockery of her sacred task for the sake of profit above all else. Ironically, this statue also serves to invoke a certain motivation, a motivation to change. Putting such images on display make the implied problems explicitly present, illuminating the dark spots on a system of such importance and magnitude that society itself could not function without it. It creates an inspiration to be better than one’s self.
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