Banksy reveals new 'Valentine's Day mascara' artwork in Margate

February 14, 2023

Street artist Banksy has claimed a new artwork which appears to highlight the issue of domestic violence.

The painting, which has appeared on the side of a building in Margate, Kent, shows a 1950s housewife, wearing a classic blue pinny apron and yellow washing-up gloves.

She has a swollen eye and a missing tooth and appears to have shoved her male partner into a chest freezer.

Banksy confirmed the artwork as his own on Instagram, posting several images of the painting, including two close-ups of the woman's face.

The elusive artist captioned the piece "Valentine's day mascara".

It also features rubbish on the ground in front of the painting, including a broken white garden chair, a blue crate and an empty beer bottle.

Speculation about the post has suggested the Bristol-born artist is referencing fighting violence against women on Valentine's Day.

Banksy's work can sell for millions of pounds on the art market.

In December, the anonymous graffiti artist announced he had created 50 screen-prints which would be sold to raise funds for a charity supporting the people of Ukraine.

Banksy previously confirmed he had spent time in Ukraine after posting a video of an artist spray-painting designs in the war-torn country and speaking to locals.

One of his biggest projects was Dismaland, a dystopian theme park in Weston-super-Mare back in 2015.