Banksy's "I Want Change"

The deep red of the wall in Banksy’s ‘I want change’ street art conveys serious political undertones. On the sign that the homeless man is embracing, is small text reading: ‘Keep your coins, I want change.’ In terms of semiotics, the sign and worn clothes signify that the man is homeless and the environment surrounding him, which is only along the street.

The sign contains punctuation, which gives connotations that the homeless man is educated. A stereotype of homeless people is that they are alcohol and drug abusers, which usually leads the assumption that they are from an uneducated, subordinate social background.

Whether or not this is the harsh reality intended to be represented by Banksy, my interpretation of this sign, is that a larger percentage of society needs to take action towards the homeless to keep them from the streets.

One of the reasons why I like Banksy’s work is that he isn’t reluctant to express his truth.