Banksy gets the bunting out in north London

 

Matilda Battersby
Tuesday 15 May 2012 14:34 BST
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A new piece of street art bearing all the hallmarks of a Banksy (pictured, above) appeared overnight in north London.

The stencil of a small boy sewing Union Jack bunting has already been interpreted as a comment on the Queen’s impending Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The worker is hunched at his work on an old fashioned Singer-style machine, the inference being that it is criticism of overseas child labour being used to produce cheap decorations or souvenirs for the British celebration in June.

More tellingly still, the black and white artwork has been emblazoned on one wall of a bargain goods shop Poundland on Whymark Avenue, Turnpike Lane.

The Poundland was the centre of controversy two years ago after it was discovered that a child of seven-years-old worked over a hundred hours a week in an Indian factory to produce some of the goods on sale.

Banksy has used the Royal family in his artwork in the past. There is currently a William and Kate-themed mural in Islington and in 2004 the artist substituted the Queen's head with Princess Diana's on a number of £10 notes which he handed out at the Notting Hill Carnival.

The area in Wood Green where the bunting mural appeared was one of the hotspots of violence and looting during last summer's riots.

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