Summary
Gangsta Rat (Green Artist Proof) depicts one of Banksy's signature black-stencil rats restyled as a hip-hop gangster — cocked fedora, heavy gold-style chain around its neck, and a flick of attitude in its paw — standing beside an old-school boombox, beneath a dripping green spray-paint "POW" tag. It belongs to Banksy's most iconic motif, the rat, which he has called his alter-ego: the overlooked vermin of the city repositioned as a streetwise anti-hero.
Why It Matters
The rat is the central recurring character of Banksy's body of work, a deliberate avatar for the graffiti writer himself — small, despised, ubiquitous, and impossible to exterminate. By dressing the rat in hip-hop iconography (chain, fedora, boombox) and crowning it with a hand-thrown "POW" tag, Banksy fuses two strands of street culture: rebel graffiti and rebel music, both born from the margins and both treated as criminal nuisance. The piece reads as a sly self-portrait of the outsider artist claiming the city's walls, and the loose dripping spray work over the crisp stencil makes the street-to-print translation visible on the sheet itself.
Collector Perspective
Gangsta Rat is a desirable early-2000s rat image, and this is the green colourway issued as an Artist Proof — a tier outside the main numbered run that collectors prize for its smaller count and "AP" designation. The pencil signature and AP notation lower left mark it as a signed proof, the most sought configuration; signed Banksy rats command a clear premium over unsigned screen prints. With a stated edition of 50 plus the limited AP allotment, supply is genuinely tight, and Banksy's rat imagery enjoys deep, liquid demand. As always, value hinges on documented provenance, condition (watch for handling along the dripped green areas and corners), and a current authentication via Pest Control; buy with paperwork, not on the image alone.
Historical Context
Produced in 2005, Gangsta Rat sits at the height of what is often called Banksy's Stencil Boom Era — the period when his Bristol-bred stencil rats migrated from city walls onto editioned screen prints, many distributed through the artist-led Pictures on Walls (POW) imprint. The rat lineage runs back to French stencil pioneer Blek le Rat, whom Banksy has openly credited, and through the 2000s the rat became his most repeated and varied character — burglar rats, anarchist rats, placard rats. The gangster styling here ties the motif to the era's hip-hop and graffiti crossover, casting the rat as the ultimate street tagger.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A black-stencil rat dressed as a hip-hop gangster — wearing a tilted fedora and a thick chain necklace, posed beside an old-school boombox — under a dripping green spray-paint 'POW' tag. The rat is Banksy's signature alter-ego motif.
What is the edition size?
The main edition is 50. This particular example is a separate Artist Proof (AP) from the green colourway, a smaller allotment issued alongside the numbered run.
Is this print signed?
Yes. As an Artist Proof it is hand-signed by Banksy in pencil and carries the AP notation in the lower left, making it a signed proof rather than an unsigned edition.
What medium is it?
It is a screen print (silkscreen) on paper, the format Banksy used to translate his wall stencils into limited editions.
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 political humour, and recurring motifs like rats, monkeys, riot police, and children with balloons. Many of his prints were 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.