Gauntlet Gallery — Banksy Prints
Napalm (Can’t Beat The Feeling) (Serpentine Edition) (Serpentine Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
This print depicts Banksy's appropriation of Nick Ut's Pulitzer-winning 1972 photograph of nine-year-old Phan Thi Kim Phuc fleeing a napalm strike, now flanked by Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald who grin and hold her hands as they march her forward, with a splash of red beneath Ronald's feet. One of Banksy's most blistering anti-war/anti-consumerist statements, it remains among his most recognizable and confrontational images, here in the Serpentine Edition giclee variant.
Collector notes: Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
"Napalm" is Banksy at his most pointed: he hijacks one of the twentieth century's defining images of wartime atrocity and yokes it to America's two most exported corporate mascots, arguing that Western consumer culture and military violence are sold from the same counter. The collision of a smiling Disney icon and a fast-food clown escorting a screaming, burned child renders the cheerfulness obscene, and the lone bloom of red paint at Ronald's feet is the only color in an otherwise black-and-white scene. It is a thesis statement for Banksy's twin obsessions with militarism and capitalism, and one of the works most often cited when his political seriousness is discussed.
Collector Perspective
"Napalm" is a cornerstone Banksy image, and the original Pictures on Walls screenprint runs (signed and unsigned, released around 2004-2006) are among the more sought-after political prints in the catalogue. This entry is the Serpentine Edition giclee, a distinct variant tied to a Serpentine Gallery context rather than the standard POW screenprint; collectors should confirm exactly which release a given example belongs to, as edition size, signature status, and pricing differ sharply between the screenprint and giclee variants. The image itself carries strong demand; condition, edition, and paperwork drive the spread.
Historical Context
The source image is "The Terror of War," Associated Press photographer Nick Ut's June 1972 photograph from Trang Bang during the Vietnam War, showing children fleeing a South Vietnamese napalm strike. Banksy produced "Napalm" / "Can't Beat The Feeling" in the early-to-mid 2000s (this giclee dated 2006), during his Stencil Boom Era when his anti-war work sharpened against the backdrop of the Iraq War and rising anti-globalization sentiment. The title riffs on Coca-Cola's "Can't Beat The Feeling" advertising slogan, binding the imagery of war to the language of brand marketing.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print
- Release date
- 2006
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Giclee.
- Edition details
- Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats Banksy's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: Read as documented context rather than stated intent: The source image is "The Terror of War," Associated Press photographer Nick Ut's June 1972 photograph from Trang Bang during the Vietnam War, showing children fleeing a South Vietnamese napalm strike. This is an interpretive reading of the release context, not a statement of the artist's intent for this specific work. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2006.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to the release source named in the saved record. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Banksy — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- Banksy (Q133600) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
It shows the girl from Nick Ut's 1972 Vietnam War napalm photograph being marched forward hand-in-hand by Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald, both grinning, with a splash of red paint at Ronald's feet. The whole scene is black and white except for that red.
Why is it called 'Can't Beat The Feeling'?
The title borrows Coca-Cola's old advertising slogan, deliberately pairing the upbeat language of brand marketing with an image of wartime suffering to skewer consumer culture.
What is the edition size?
The edition size for this Serpentine Edition giclee is not recorded in our data. Buyers should confirm the run, and whether the example is signed or unsigned, with the seller and supporting documentation.
What medium is this?
This is a giclee print dated 2006, the Serpentine Edition variant. It is distinct from the original Pictures on Walls screenprint version of the same image, which collectors should not conflate.
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 humor, and anti-war, anti-capitalist, and anti-establishment imagery.
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