Banksy artwork depicting MPs as chimps put on display 'to mark Brexit day'

'Laugh now, but one day no-one will be in charge'

A Banksy artwork depicting politicians in the House of Commons as chimpanzees has been put on display “to mark Brexit day”.

The graffiti artist’s work, named Devolved Parliament, has been put on show at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery in time for the original deadline of 29 March.

The artist posted a photograph of Devolved Parliament his Instagram account on Thursday.

The caption read: “Devolved Parliament. I made this ten years ago. Bristol museum have just put it back on display to mark Brexit day.”

It ended with the quote: “Laugh now, but one day no-one will be in charge.”

The quote was a homage to his piece Laugh Now, which features a stencil image of a chimpanzee wearing a sandwich board reading: ”Laugh now, but one day we’ll be in charge.”

The work of art was first shown at the museum in 2009 as part of the Banksy vs Bristol Museum exhibition.

Devolved Parliament was then purchased by an unnamed collector, who has loaned it to the museum to mark a decade since its unveiling.

Banksy gave his permission for the piece, which is 4m wide, to go back on display.

In 2009, Banksy said of Devolved Parliament: “You paint 100 chimpanzees and they still call you a guerrilla artist.”

Yoma Smith, trustee of Bristol Museums Development Trust, described Banksy as “Bristol’s son” and said she expected the artwork to be very popular.

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“It’s great art, and great art is a reflection of society,” she said.

“It raises a mirror to society and discusses the mood and landscape. That’s what Banksy does.

“He points a mirror back at society, so this is exciting for us, it’s exciting for the museum and it’s really exciting for Bristol.”

Exhibition curator Philip Walker said: “When this work was shown 10 years ago it caused a real stir and was one of the highlights of the Banksy vs Bristol Museum exhibition.

“It feels like a timely chance to revisit the work and a great opportunity to share Banksy’s largest known work on canvas with the public again.”

Additional reporting by Press Association