Devolved Parliament
By Banksy, 2009
This striking painting by the elusive street artist Banksy reimagines Britain's House of Commons with chimpanzees occupying the green benches instead of politicians. Created in 2009 and later updated in 2019, the work takes direct aim at parliamentary politics, suggesting that the debates and decisions happening in this grand chamber might not be all that evolved. The title plays on the concept of "devolved" government, where power is distributed to regional bodies, while also implying a backward slide in political discourse.
Banksy painted this massive canvas (13 feet wide) in the style of a classical Victorian oil painting, complete with the ornate architectural details of the actual Parliament chamber. The apes gesticulate, argue, and posture just like their human counterparts, creating an uncomfortable mirror that's both humorous and biting. When this piece went to auction in 2019, right in the midst of Brexit debates, it sold for nearly $12 million, making it the artist's most expensive work at the time. The timing couldn't have been more pointed, as Britain's Parliament was indeed struggling through some of its most chaotic moments in modern history.