Summary
Vest (2019) is a Union Jack flak jacket: a tactical body-armour vest hand-finished with a distressed, spray-painted British flag and pierced by three bullet holes through its center, originally created by Banksy for the protective vest worn by rapper Stormzy during his headline Glastonbury 2019 performance. It is one of Banksy's most pointed object-works, fusing national symbolism, protest fashion, and the violence the garment is built to stop.
Why It Matters
The piece collapses patriotism and peril into a single wearable object: the Union Jack, the symbol of British identity, is rendered as armour, then visibly defeated by three bullet holes. Made for Stormzy's 2019 Glastonbury headline set, it landed at a moment of national reckoning over knife and gun crime, Brexit-era questions of British identity, and the visibility of Black British artists on the country's biggest stage. As an object rather than a print, it sits at the intersection of Banksy's protest practice and his later move into functional, real-world goods, turning a stencil-style statement into something that was actually worn in front of millions.
Collector Perspective
This is an object/garment work, not a standard paper edition, so it does not behave like a Pictures on Walls screen print. Edition size and medium are not publicly documented for this listing, which materially affects appraisal: the original vest worn by Stormzy is effectively a unique, headline-grade piece, while any related objects would trade very differently. Buyers should demand explicit documentation of which version is on offer, full provenance, and Pest Control authentication before assigning value. Banksy's market is highly liquid and globally bid, but object-works are thin, event-driven, and condition- and provenance-sensitive, so pricing is far less standardized than for his catalogued prints.
Historical Context
Banksy created the painted stab-proof / body-armour vest for grime artist Stormzy, who wore it during his headline performance at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2019 — the first time a Black British solo artist headlined the Pyramid Stage. The distressed Union Jack referenced both British identity and the country's debate over violent crime, while the bullet holes seen in this version drive the protest reading home. The work belongs to Banksy's Contemporary-era output and is associated with his Gross Domestic Product moment of object-based, anti-establishment statements rather than his earlier wall and paper work.
FAQ
What does Vest depict?
A tactical body-armour / flak vest hand-finished with a weathered, spray-painted Union Jack flag, with three bullet holes punched through the center of the flag design.
Who wore it and when?
Banksy made a painted Union Jack vest for grime artist Stormzy, who wore it during his headline set at Glastonbury Festival in June 2019.
What is the edition size?
The edition size is not publicly documented for this listing. The original worn at Glastonbury is effectively a unique object; verify exactly which version is being offered before relying on any quoted edition.
Is it signed?
Signing is not documented here. Because this is an object rather than a standard paper print, ask for explicit confirmation of any signature and for Pest Control authentication.
What medium is it?
The medium is listed as unknown. It is an object/garment work — a body-armour vest with applied paint — rather than a screen print on paper.
Who is Banksy?
Banksy is the 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, anti-establishment imagery, plus stunts like the self-shredding Girl with Balloon and the Gross Domestic Product homeware line.
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.