Altered Girl with a Pierced Eardrum
Banksy’s original work takes inspiration from Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer (painted in 1665) at the Hague. Instead of her pearl earring, however, the image takes advantage of an octagonal alarm located on the wall. The original painting is considered a tronie, which means it was not a portrait of a real person but a representation of an idea and demonstration of Vermeer’s skill. Banksy probably recreated it for its recognizability and to emphasize the alarm on the wall; a common component of his work is to critique political and economic realities. An unknown artist has added a blue facemask as a reminder for the viewer to follow Covid-19 guidelines and to update the image to “the new normal.” This is not the first time the piece had been changed; an unknown person sprayed black spray paint on the left side of the image the day after it was posted on Banksy’s website.
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Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Girl-with-a-Pearl-Earring-by-Vermeer
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