New Banksy work attacks the French Government’s handling of refugees in Calais

After his divisive but wildly successful Dismaland installation closed last year it was revealed that the structures that comprised the attraction would be dismantled and shipped to Calais to provide shelter at the refugee camp in the city. The materials have been used to create several dwellings, a play area and community facility in the camp that is home to over 7000 people.

France remains a preoccupation for the elusive artist, who has unveiled a new work near to the French Embassy on London. The piece is a reinterpretation of the branding for the long running musical based on Victor Hugo’s novel Les Miserables. The forlorn image of a young girl carrying a tricolore flag emerges from a can of CS gas, a response to the French authorities use of teargas when attempt to clear part of the site. The work includes a QR code that links to footage appearing to show the heavy handed tactics of the French police produced by Calais Migrant solidarity.

Other works that have appeared in Calais depict Steve Jobs moving between the tents erected by refugees and a reinterpretation of the Raft of the Medussa by Théodore Géricault, where the doomed sailors are trying to attract the attention of a passing super yacht.