Summary
A 2006 giclee documenting one of Banksy's 2005 interventions on the Israeli West Bank separation barrier: against the grey concrete slabs he has drawn, in white outline, a cozy domestic living room — two plump armchairs flanking a window that opens, trompe-l'oeil style, onto an idyllic alpine landscape of green meadow, mountains and blue sky. A lone figure stands at the foot of the wall for scale. It belongs to the small group of prints derived from Banksy's Palestine "wall" project, where he used illusionistic holes and vistas to imagine the barrier away.
Why It Matters
This image distills Banksy's central trick on the West Bank wall: painting an illusory escape onto an instrument of confinement. By framing a holiday-postcard mountain view inside a homely sitting room, he turns nine metres of militarised concrete into a domestic window, making the wall's brutality legible to a Western audience through the language of comfort and tourism. It is one of the most politically pointed bodies of work in Banksy's career — art made on the actual barrier rather than a gallery wall — and helped move the Israeli-Palestinian separation barrier into mainstream art-world and pop-culture conversation. The contrast between the inviting interior and the bleak reality it covers is the whole argument.
Collector Perspective
A genuinely scarce piece: the edition is just 56, far smaller than Banksy's mass-market POW screenprints that ran into the hundreds. It is a giclee rather than a screenprint, which some Banksy buyers weight slightly differently, but the tiny run and the strong, recognisable Palestine subject support demand. As always with Banksy, signed examples command a substantial premium over unsigned, and Pest Control authentication is the decisive factor for resale — buyers should confirm paperwork before paying serious money. With only 56 in existence the work surfaces infrequently, so pricing is set as much by what is available at the moment as by any standing comp.
Historical Context
The work derives from Banksy's December 2005 trip to the Israeli West Bank barrier, where he painted a series of images — children digging through, a ladder, a girl with balloons, and these illusory "windows" and holes opening onto idealised landscapes — directly onto the Palestinian side of the concrete. Produced as a giclee in 2006, during what is described here as Banksy's Stencil Boom Era, it sits alongside the artist's other Palestine & The Wall pieces and prefigures his later, more elaborate 2017 Walled Off Hotel project in Bethlehem, which overlooks the same barrier. The motif of a sitting-room window onto mountains is a direct comment on the wall as a domestic-scale obstruction to an ordinary life and view.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
Banksy's white line-drawing of a living room — two armchairs flanking a window — painted onto the grey concrete of the Israeli West Bank separation barrier, with the window opening trompe-l'oeil onto an idyllic alpine mountain landscape. A figure stands at the base for scale.
What is the edition size?
The edition is 56.
What medium is it?
It is a giclee print, produced in 2006 after Banksy's 2005 intervention on the West Bank wall.
Is it signed?
The title does not specify signed or unsigned; both signed and unsigned examples typically exist for Banksy editions, with signed copies commanding a premium. Buyers should confirm the specific example and seek Pest Control authentication.
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-establishment imagery, including a celebrated series of works painted directly on the West Bank barrier in Palestine.
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.