Game Changer

This piece appeared in May 2020, when Banksy left it at Southampton General Hospital in England during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The image shows a young boy kneeling on the floor, playing with a new favorite toy. He holds up a nurse figure dressed in a cape, flying through the air like a superhero, complete with a small red cross on her chest. Off to the side, tossed in a wastebasket, sit the toys he used to love most: Batman and Spider-Man. The message is gentle but clear. The real heroes of that moment were not the comic book characters, but the healthcare workers risking their lives every day.

Banksy is the famously anonymous British street artist known for his stencil work and sharp social commentary, and this drawing shows his softer side. Done in simple black and white, with only that single spot of red for color, the style feels almost like a child's sketch brought to life. He left a note for the hospital staff that read, "Thanks for all you're doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if it's only black and white." In 2021 the original was sold at auction for about 16.7 million pounds, with the money going to support health charities and the National Health Service. Not bad for a thank you note.