TORONTO -- The elusive street artist known as Banksy has shared a powerful piece of new artwork in support of the Black Lives Matter movement as anti-racism protests continue across the globe.
The anonymous artist's latest work depicts the United States flag slowly being set on fire by a candle that forms part of a vigil for a black, silhouetted figure.
The painting was shared on Banksy's Instagram page on Saturday, along with a statement that says it is the responsibility of white people to fix the system that is failing Black people.
"At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to Black people about this issue. But why would I do that? It's not their problem. It's mine," .
"People of colour are being failed by the system. The white system. Like a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. The faulty system is making their life a misery, but it’s not their job to fix it. They can’t, no one will let them in the apartment upstairs," the secretive graffiti artist added.
"This is a white problem. And if white people don't fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in."
Banksy's new artwork appears as thousands of people continue to join anti-racism protests around the world in response to the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in Minneapolis in late May after a white police officer held his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes.
While Banksy's identity remains unknown, his politically charged work, which typically appears on walls, has become some of the most iconic and recognizable in the world.
Banksy debuted artwork last month showing a young boy playing with a nurse action figure over Batman and Spider-Man in a tribute to U.K. health-care workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
