Banksy – GDP Rat

Description

Banksy opened a homewares store called “Gross Domestic Product ™” in Croydon, London (2019), featuring a unique selection of items designed by Banksy. The store offered homewares and lifestyle products, including mugs, doormats, and rugs, all with Banksy’s signature style.

The store was created in response to legal action against Banksy by a greeting card company attempting to take legal custody of the artist’s name.

Gross Domestic Product also features thought-provoking items like the ‘diabetes-riddled corpse of Tony the Tiger’ rug, which highlights the impact of sugary cereals on children’s health, a selection of T-shirts, including the ‘Girl with Balloon’ tee and the infamous shredded version, which serves as a commentary on fast fashion and its impact on the environment. Throughout the store, Banksy addresses significant social issues affecting our world today, including forced human migration, animal welfare, the impact of fast fashion on the environment, the climate crisis, the ‘Rat Race’ we live under and living in a state under constant surveillance.

The store was open for two weeks and was a window shopping experience only. Banksy randomly released various unsigned screen prints on 50gsm paper ‘GDP Rat‘, ‘GDP Flower Thrower‘ and ‘Crisis as Usual‘ to children under 16 attending the store.

Banksy’s “Rat Race” is a powerful piece of Banksy’s works; a rat often plays a crucial role. A rat runs up as if stuck in a wheel, symbolising the never-ending rat race we all experience. The artwork reflects modern society’s fast-paced, competitive nature, where material possessions and financial gain often measure success. The piece was seen in 2009, as Banksy tagged signs in London’s Whitechapel area with the image of the rat running on signs saying “No Stopping Mon-Sat-8 am-6 pm.” The rat is trapped in a cycle of endless race with no real purpose or end. Read more here.