England based-street artist Banksy, known for his subversive art, graffiti, and dark humour, showcased his latest artwork on Tuesday, and, yet again, it is related to coronavirus, prompting people to wear masks.
The elusive guerrilla street artist's latest piece of art was shared on his Instagram handle where he was seen dressed as a cleaner, spraying graffiti on the London Underground.
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The graffiti was an effort to make people aware of the importance of wearing masks and using stiser when several countries across the globe are grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Banky captioned the post as, "If you don't mask - you don't get."
In the shared video clip, the renowned artist painted 'rats'. One rat is seen sneezing, while the other rat uses the mask as a parachute. Another rat is holding a bottle of stizer.
Towards the end of the clip, the music of the 1997 hit 'Tubthumping' by British rock band Chumbawamba is played in the background.
Banksy spray-painted, the opening lyrics of the song "I get lockdown, but I get up again" in the station and inside the train's doors.
However, according to CNN, the artwork was short-lived as the authorities of Transport for London confirmed the graffiti had been removed.
The work was removed "some days ago" because it violated TfL's "strict anti-graffiti policy," CNN quoted a spokesperson for the transportation agency as saying in a statement.
Even though it was erased, the spokesperson said that TfL appreciated "the sentiment of encouraging people to wear face coverings" and that it would like to "offer Banksy the chance to do a new version of his message for our customers in a suitable location."
This is not the first time that Banky did some art related to the deadly coronavirus.
In April, the renowned street artist posted a photo of his work-from-home life, again making rats as his subject.
A mysterious artist from Bristol, Banksy has become one of the world's best-known artists. He rose to fame with graffiti that appeared on buildings across the UK, often marked by deeply satirical undertones.
( With inputs from ANI )