Banksy has posted an image of a new artwork that appears to be in Marseille, in southern France, though its exact location has not been confirmed.
The characteristic image, posted on the artist’s Instagram account, transforms the shadow of a street bollard into the form of a lighthouse. Stencilled across it are the words: “I want to be what you saw in me.”
A Banksy fansite claimed that the work was in Le Panier in Marseille, a district north of the city’s port that is known for its graffiti, which includes several works by the French street artist Invader, who uses a pixelated style.
But Bristol Live found that it matched a Google Street View image of Rue Felix Fregier, a backstreet in the Saint Lambert part of the city, just south of the port. This covered street, like many in Marseille, is lined with lighthouse-shaped bollards and includes vents visible in some of the images of the new Banksy.
Close to the latest work, revealed on Thursday, is a tag that appears to read Yaze, which is the mark used by a Canadian graffiti artist who also goes by the name Marco the Polo and cites Banksy as an inspiration.
Banksy’s works have fetched millions at auction, prompting speculation over the Bristol graffiti artist’s identity.
Inspiration for the quote in the lighthouse artwork may have come from the song Softly, by the Tennessee-based country band Lonestar, which features the lyric:
“I want to be what you see in me.
I want to love you the way that you love me.”
A swathe of animal-themed Banksy works appeared in London last year, including a rhino seemingly mounting a silver Nissan Micra, two elephant silhouettes with their trunks stretched towards each other, three monkeys that appeared to be swinging on a bridge, and a gorilla on a shutter at London zoo.
Since then Banksy has posted a mural depicting the Madonna and child.
