Summary
Crucifix Grappling Hook is a sculptural object, not a print: a weathered wooden crucifix bearing a cast figure of Christ, but with the four ends of the cross terminating in sharpened steel grappling-hook claws, a coil of rope knotted through the base. By fusing a Christian devotional object with the gear of a climber, raider, or fence-jumper, Banksy turns the cross into a literal tool of assault and escape, extending his long-running habit of weaponising sacred and everyday imagery.
Why It Matters
The piece compresses a great deal of Banksy's politics into one disquieting object. The crucifix, the West's central symbol of suffering, sacrifice and salvation, is re-engineered into a barbed climbing implement, the kind of thing used to scale a wall or board a vessel. It reads simultaneously as a comment on religion mobilised for conquest and violence, on faith as a means of breaching barriers, and on the desperation of those who climb walls and fences to survive. Made in 2017, the same period as the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem, it sits squarely within Banksy's preoccupation with walls, borders and the militarisation of belief, delivering his characteristic dark humour through a single, instantly legible visual collision rather than a stencil.
Collector Perspective
This is one of Banksy's three-dimensional editioned objects rather than a paper print, produced in a tightly limited run of 42, which places it among his scarcer multiples. Sculptural Banksy editions of this kind tend to be desirable precisely because so few exist and because they photograph as singular, gallery-presence pieces. As a "First Edition" example, condition, completeness of the rope element, and accompanying documentation or certificate matter heavily to value. Provenance and authentication (typically via Pest Control for genuine Banksy works) are decisive here, as objects are harder for casual buyers to vet than well-catalogued POW screenprints. Buyers should expect strong demand relative to the small supply, but verify authenticity rigorously before committing.
Historical Context
Crucifix Grappling Hook dates to 2017, the Contemporary era and a pointed moment in Banksy's career. That year he opened the Walled Off Hotel beside the Israeli West Bank separation barrier in Bethlehem, a project saturated with imagery of walls, borders, religion and occupation. Against that backdrop, an object that turns the cross of Christian devotion into a grappling hook, gear for scaling or breaching a wall, reads as a direct continuation of his anti-war and anti-establishment concerns: faith and conflict literally welded together, and the line between salvation and assault deliberately blurred.
FAQ
What does Crucifix Grappling Hook depict?
A weathered wooden crucifix with a cast figure of Christ, but the four ends of the cross terminate in sharpened steel grappling-hook claws, with a coil of knotted rope attached at the base. It fuses a religious icon with a climbing or boarding tool.
Is this a print or a sculpture?
It is a three-dimensional editioned object (a sculptural multiple), not a paper print. The listed medium is unspecified, but the work combines wood, a cast figure and steel hook elements with rope.
How many were made?
The edition size is 42, making it one of Banksy's scarcer editioned objects.
Is it signed?
The title designates this as a First Edition; signature status is not specified here. For any Banksy work, authentication through Pest Control rather than a signature alone is the meaningful guarantee of legitimacy, so request documentation.
Who is Banksy?
Banksy is an anonymous England-based street artist who emerged from Bristol in the early 1990s, known for fast stencil work, dark humour and anti-war, anti-capitalist and anti-establishment messages, as well as stunts like the self-shredding Girl with Balloon and the Walled Off Hotel.
About the Artist
Banksy is an anonymous England-based street artist, political activist and film director whose identity remains officially unconfirmed. Emerging from the Bristol underground scene in the early 1990s, he developed a fast, stencil-based technique for working in public space, pairing dark humour with anti-war, anti-capitalist and anti-establishment messages. Recurring motifs include rats, monkeys, riot police, and children with balloons or weapons. Many of his prints were published through Pictures on Walls and rank among the most heavily traded in the secondary market, while stunts such as the self-shredding Girl with Balloon, the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem and the Gross Domestic Product homeware line have made him one of the most recognised artists in the world.
Collecting Banksy at Gauntlet Gallery
Where can I buy authentic Banksy prints?
Gauntlet Gallery offers an extensive, authenticated inventory of Banksy prints and contemporary editions, with new drops added regularly. Browse the current collection at gauntlet.gallery.
How does Gauntlet Gallery ensure authenticity?
Gauntlet Gallery is built on curation, authenticity and transparency — every work is vetted and its provenance, edition details and condition are disclosed up front.
Does Gauntlet Gallery add new Banksy prints?
Yes. New drops are released regularly across Banksy and other leading artists; see gauntlet.gallery for the latest inventory.