[Bansky street art in London. Credit to Pixabay]

Banksy has recently captivated London with an impressive array of street art that leaves both locals and tourists amazed and puzzled.

The enigmatic Banksy, whose true identity remains a mystery even after over 20 years of fame, has been revealing daily animal-themed art pieces across London and showcasing them on Instagram.

The artwork, primarily consisting of stenciled paintings in public areas, has sparked speculation about the pieces’ significance among Banksy's followers and art experts.

Starting August 5th, a series of animal-themed artworks began appearing across London.

The first was a black goat on an old industrial structure in the southwest.

The next day, Chelsea saw two elephants seemingly conversing through bricked-up windows.

East London commuters spotted monkeys stenciled on a bridge near a transit station.

In South London, a wolf painted on a satellite dish was dramatically stolen by masked individuals using a ladder and van, which was captured on a bystander's phone.

In northeast London, two painted pelicans appeared above a fish-and-chips shop, seemingly eating the fish on the sign.

The following day, a cat was spotted on a deserted billboard along a quiet road.

Meanwhile, a glass police box in the financial district was transformed to resemble an aquarium overnight.

The series concluded with two more artworks: a mural of a rhino that looked like it was climbing onto an abandoned vehicle, and a gorilla painted on shutters near London's biggest zoo, depicted as lifting a curtain to free a seal and some birds.

Banksy shared images of each artwork on his Instagram, which has over 13 million followers.

This allows him to reach a far broader international audience compared to when he was tagging buildings in Bristol during the 1990s.

Appearing shortly after the United Kingdom experienced its most severe far-right unrest in over a decade, these art pieces have once again thrust the artist into the spotlight of Britain's cultural discourse.

Throughout his career, Banksy has consistently demonstrated a political ??? in his art as most of his works carry socio-political undertones.

This recent series of pieces seems to deviate from that pattern as they appear less overtly political in nature.

The motivation behind this animal-themed series remains unclear, but there are many theories.

Some suggest it might be commenting on recent riots which may imply that human self-destruction could lead to nature reclaiming cities like London.

Alternatively, there is a theory proposed that given Banksy's apparent concern for environmental and animal welfare issues, the final image of a gorilla freeing other animals could be seen as a key to interpreting all the previous artworks in the series.

Banksy's provocative art often does more than just critique societal issues or government policies; it also confronts the art market itself and those involved in it.

This multi-layered approach to controversy tends to increase the appeal of his work.

Despite his anti-establishment stance, Banksy also creates commercial artwork.

He often donates a significant portion of his earnings from these sales to charitable causes that align with the social issues he addresses in his art.

His work has touched on various topics, including British politics, the conflict in Gaza, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.