Jamie Hauke

English 101

Phillips

29 April 2016

Rage, the Flower Thrower

The Middle East has always been a site of turmoil and conflict, particularly around Jerusalem. This city is an important site for three major monotheistic religions: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Because of its significance in each religion, throughout history it has been the site of constant conflict, as each religion wants singular control of the area. As time has gone on, this conflict has transferred from simply a religious conflict to a political one as well. There are numerous countries all trying to gain control of the area. All of the continued conflict has caused the area to be a constant site of war and rioting, and general unrest. The anonymous satirical graffiti artist Banksy has set out to bring more attention to the constant fighting taking place in this part of the world. Banksy is known for using his street art to comment on what is politically and socially wrong with society. A good example of this is his painting of the "Flower Thrower", located on a wall in Jerusalem. Throughout history, this city has been riddled with terrorism, war, and political and religious unrest. Banksy uses symbolism, detail, and location in his painting of the "Flower Thrower" to demonstrate the importance of hope and peace during times of conflict.

Banksy is known for using a lot of symbolism and detail in his artworks to convey a deeper meaning about political, social, and economic issues. The painting of the Flower Thrower depicts a man about to throw a bouquet of flowers. At first glance, the piece does not stand out much against its surroundings; but upon closer inspection it is clear that this piece is meant to grab one's attention. The majority of this piece is done in black and white, all except for the flowers. The man depicted is covering his face with a handkerchief, and wears a backwards baseball cap on his head. He is holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand, and is in a throwing position. The overall appearance of the subject of this piece is reminiscent of that of rioters from the 1920s. Back then, Jewish-Muslim conflict got so bad that it finally reached a breaking point. Muslims and Jews fought in a number of cities throughout Israel, but the peak of this conflict was when Arabs attacked the Jewish quarters in Jerusalem. It was around here that, "64 Jews -- men, women, and children -- were massacred, and the core of the old Jewish community of Hebron ceased to exist"(Kimmerling). Even after the fighting stopped, this event had caused the tension to remain high between the Jews and Muslims. It was this tension that caused many riots in the city of Jerusalem. It is very apparent that the subject in Banksy's painting is meant to be a rioter, but instead of throwing a Molotov cocktail or something equally destructive, the subject is throwing a bouquet of flowers. Throughout history flowers have been known as a symbol of hope, and of new beginnings. Seeing flowers begin to bloom is a common sign of spring arriving to relieve us of the harsh cold of winter. Banksy also uses great detail in his artworks, which can be seen in his style and color choices. The subject of the painting is stenciled, and pretty general and basic in form. The subject is also in black and white. The only color in the painting is seen in the bouquet of flowers. The flowers also seem to be painted with a great amount of detail. Banksy's choice to substitute flowers for a weapon gives the impression that there is still hope for peace in times of destruction. It portrays the idea that even with all of the fighting going on, there is potential to come to a peaceful resolution.

Another important aspect of Banksy's artworks is the actual physical locations where he puts them up. As previously mentioned, the painting of the "Flower Thrower" is located on a wall in Jerusalem, Israel. Location is important to the intended connotation of each of Banksy's works of art. The Western Wall in Jerusalem is possibly one of the holiest sites in the Jewish religion. It is a common site of prayer for Jews. During the time the Jerusalem was under Muslim rule, "Arabs often used the wall as a garbage dump, so as to humiliate the Jews who visited it." It is clear that both sides have contributed to the growing tension in the area throughout history, and it has not gotten any better. In the case of the "Flower Thrower", and the majority of his pieces in the Middle East, Banksy wants people to visit the area, "to see the reality of the Israeli occupation for themselves" (Ettingir).It is easy to sit on the other side of the world and comment on conflict taking place on foreign soil. Banksy wants everyone to experience it, because maybe once they do, they will care enough to do something about it. For the people who live in the area, he wants them to know that someone else in the world cares about the constant war and tension, and wants to do something to help.

Banksy uses symbolism, detail, and location in his satirical street art to convey the importance of hope and peace during times of political and religious unrest. He in his painting of the "Flower Thrower" he shows that all rioters really want is for the fighting to end. He uses color in his painting to show that there is hope for a brighter future, if people actually try to resolve the conflict riddling the area. Finally, he uses the location of his artworks to comment on specific areas and events that have happened throughout history. He wants to bring attention to the turmoil in the world, particularly the Middle East, in hopes that something will be done about it. He also uses his paintings as a reminder that, no matter how much destruction an area has seen, there is always hope for a brighter future, and peace is possible. Everyone just needs to care a little bit more.

Works Cited

Banksy. Flower Thrower. 2003. Jerusalem.

 Ettinger, Yair. "More Than 150 Reform Rabbis Hold Mixed-gender Service at New Western Wall Prayer Space," Haaretz, February 25, 2016. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

Kimmerling, Baruch, and Mark Tessler. "What Were the 1929 Arab Riots? - Israeli-Palestinian Conflict - ProCon.org." Israeli-Palestinian Conflicts. ProCon, 2003. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.
