Summary
"Grannies" depicts two elderly women in armchairs calmly knitting jumpers bearing punk and gangster slogans -- "PUNKS NOT DEAD" and "THUG FOR LIFE" -- separated by a tea table with a lamp and framed photo, the whole scene rendered in Banksy's signature black stencil over a flat pink ground. The gentle domestic tableau with subversive text is a hallmark of Banksy's juxtaposition humour, turning rebel culture into something a grandmother might knit by the fireside.
Why It Matters
"Grannies" distills Banksy's central method: taking icons of countercultural defiance and recontextualising them in the most disarming, ordinary setting imaginable. By placing "Punks Not Dead" and "Thug For Life" -- slogans of rebellion and street menace -- into the hands of two sweet, knitting pensioners, Banksy both mocks and humanises rebel posturing, suggesting that today's outlaws are tomorrow's old folks and that subculture is ultimately absorbed by the everyday. It is one of the artist's wittiest commentaries on age, domesticity and the commodification of rebellion, and its warmth makes it among the most broadly likeable images in his print catalogue.
Collector Perspective
This is the unsigned Pictures on Walls (POW) edition of "Grannies," limited to just 56 examples -- a notably small run that places it among the scarcer Banksy screenprints despite its unsigned status. Unsigned POW prints trade at a meaningful discount to their hand-signed counterparts, but the genuine POW provenance and tiny edition keep demand firm. For collectors, the appeal is a recognisable, good-humoured Banksy image at a more accessible entry point than the signed version, with the caveat that condition, full POW documentation and authentication (Pest Control certification is not issued for these) materially affect value. The small edition size means supply to market is thin, so well-kept examples surface infrequently.
Historical Context
Produced in 2006 through Pictures on Walls, Banksy's own print publisher, "Grannies" belongs to the Stencil Boom Era when the artist's profile was rising sharply off the back of street works and the 2005 "Crude Oils" show. The image plays on British punk heritage -- "Punks Not Dead" echoes the 1981 Exploited album of the same name -- and on hip-hop's "Thug Life," collapsing two generations of rebel iconography into a single front-room scene. It sits within Banksy's broader Protest & Subversion vein, where authority, conformity and counterculture are all held up to the same deadpan scrutiny.
FAQ
What does the Grannies print depict?
Two elderly women sit in armchairs knitting jumpers that read 'PUNKS NOT DEAD' and 'THUG FOR LIFE,' with a small tea table, lamp and framed photo between them, all in black stencil on a pink background.
How large is the edition?
This Pictures on Walls (POW) edition is limited to 56 examples, making it one of the smaller Banksy print editions.
Is this print signed or unsigned?
This is the unsigned POW version. It carries genuine Pictures on Walls provenance but is not hand-signed by the artist, which distinguishes it from the rarer signed edition.
What medium is it?
It is a screen print (screenprint), the technique Banksy used for most of his Pictures on Walls editions.
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-establishment imagery, with many prints published through Pictures on Walls.
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.