One of Banksy’s most iconic pieces of artwork is the little girl, stood on South Bank, London, holding a heart-shaped balloon. The work, called There is Always Hope but often referred to as Girl with Balloon when the quote is removed from the piece, appeared in 2002.
Banksy is one of the world’s most renowned artists. Born in Bristol, UK, in 1974, he has become a household name by creating beautiful and truly thought-provoking art – which is seems to appear in public overnight. Banksy began his career as a graffiti artist and was part of a gang named DryBreadZ Crew. Although he began creating art freehand, he began using stencils in the late ‘90s and his work became widely recognised in the South West of England. In 2005, after many years of local media attention, Banksy’s work on the West Bank barrier, between Israel and Palestine, received significant media coverage by the world’s press.
In October 2013, Banksy took to the streets of New York City; he created one new piece of public artwork for each day of his stay. During his visit, he sold some of his art for as little as $60 – well below the market value of his work.
Despite being world-famous, Banksy’s identity remains officially unknown, in 2008, The Mail on Sunday reported that Banksy is Robin Gunningham – but he denied that he was Banksy. In 2016, The Mail on Sunday say scientists at Queen Mary University of London have used geographic profiling to prove that he is indeed Mr Gunningham.
Being Canvas Art Rocks’ most popular canvas ordered by its customers, There is Always Hope is being exhibited in households around the world. The heart-shaped balloon is believed to represent love, hope, innocence, childhood and self-confidence. It’s thought that the piece symbolises losing something which is within your grasp. Etched into the wall to the right of the little girl, are the words THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to hang a Banksy on your wall - Canvas Art Rocks’ huge collection of popular Banksy art can be purchased on canvas, poster and even as a vinyl sticker.