Summary
Radar Rat shows Banksy's signature black stencil rat seated upright, broadcasting through a cone-shaped radar/satellite dish held to its mouth like a megaphone, set against a hypnotic concentric spiral rendered in orange and white spray. One of the artist's core rat works from the height of his stencil-on-paper output, the rat acts as Banksy's surrogate underdog, here cast as a propagandist or signal-jammer transmitting a message the establishment would rather suppress.
Why It Matters
The rat is Banksy's most autobiographical motif, an anagram of "art" and a stand-in for the unwanted, overlooked vermin of the city who survive on the margins, exactly the role he assigns the street artist. In Radar Rat the creature is no longer just scurrying or sloganeering; it is actively transmitting, the radar dish and spiral target turning the image into a comment on broadcast media, surveillance and propaganda, themes that run through Banksy's whole anti-establishment program. The hypnotic spiral, a direct nod to mind-control and hypnosis imagery, frames mass communication as something that pacifies rather than informs, a characteristically pointed visual joke delivered with minimal means.
Collector Perspective
With an edition of just 36, Radar Rat (First Edition) sits at the genuinely scarce end of Banksy's paper output, far below the 150 to 750 runs of his better-known signed prints. The very small edition means examples surface infrequently, and condition, full margins and a clean hand-numbered fraction (here visible lower left) materially affect value. Buyers should confirm whether a given example is hand-signed or unnumbered, and ideally obtain a Pest Control certificate, as authentication is the single biggest driver of price and salability for any Banksy. As an early rat subject from his most collected period, it carries strong name recognition within the catalogue, but the tiny supply makes it more of an opportunistic acquisition than a print you can reliably source on demand.
Historical Context
Produced in 2004, Radar Rat dates from the heart of Banksy's Stencil Boom Era, the stretch in the early-to-mid 2000s when he moved from Bristol and London walls into editioned screen prints and built the rat into a recurring cast member. The period coincides with heightened public anxiety over surveillance, the post-9/11 security state and saturation news media, and the radar dish and hypnotic target read directly against that backdrop. It belongs to a family of rat prints from these years, including the Gangsta Rat and Radar Rat subjects, in which Banksy pairs his fast, graffiti-derived stencil technique with pointed satire of authority and control.
FAQ
What does Radar Rat depict?
A black stencilled rat seated upright, holding a cone-shaped radar or satellite dish to its mouth like a megaphone, set against a concentric orange-and-white hypnotic spiral or target. The rat acts as a broadcaster or signal-jammer, a comment on media, propaganda and surveillance.
How large is the edition?
The edition size is just 36, making this First Edition one of Banksy's smaller and scarcer paper runs.
Is this print signed or numbered?
This example is hand-numbered (the fraction is visible lower left) and carries a signature lower right. Always verify the specific signing and seek a Pest Control authentication certificate before purchase.
What medium is it?
It is a screen print on paper, produced in 2004, executed in Banksy's characteristic flat stencil style with hand-sprayed orange in the spiral.
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 and anti-establishment messages, with recurring motifs including rats, monkeys, riot police and children.
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.