Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Banksy confirms escaping prisoner artwork at Reading Prison

Banksy confirms escaping prisoner artwork at Reading Prison

Street artist Banksy has confirmed he was behind the artwork that appeared on the wall of Reading Prison on Monday.

The picture shows a prisoner - possibly resembling famous inmate Oscar Wilde - escaping on a rope made of bedsheets tied to a typewriter.

It comes as campaigners continue to lobby for the former jail to be turned into an arts hub rather than being sold for housing.

The guerilla artist confirmed the work though a video on his website.

The clip - entitled Create Escape - shows the piece being created under the cover of darkness, set to archive commentary from American painter Bob Ross.


The Ministry of Justice said it was "aware that Banksy has confirmed he is responsible for the graffiti".

"We are considering next steps and will provide an update in due course," it added.

Reading Borough Council said Banksy's involvement suggested he was backing the campaign to save the prison.

It said: "We are thrilled that Banksy appears to have thrown his support behind the council's desire to transform the vacant Reading Gaol into a beacon of arts, heritage and culture with this piece of artwork he has aptly called Create Escape.

"The council is pushing the Ministry of Justice, who own the site, to make suitable arrangements to protect the image."

Matt Rodda, the Labour MP for Reading East, said there was a "growing sense of excitement" in the town since the artwork had been confirmed as real.

The Save Reading Gaol campaign tweeted: "We're thrilled to hear it is, after all, a Banksy!

"Thanks to the elusive artist & their team. We are incredibly grateful. Your support & gift to the town will be appreciated for many years to come!"

Some people believe the artwork is related plans to develop the prison

Toby Davies, the artistic director for Rabble Theatre in Reading, described it as "fantastic".

He said: "It adds real kudos to the whole campaign to have someone who knows a thing or two about culture take a risk and come and do this on a Ministry of Justice building.

"It is phenomenal, it really displays how much it means to people.

"Whenever I speak to people, not just those in the culture world but those who walk past it every single day, they get very emotional about it."

He added: "Reading has never had the opportunity to have a go at an international culture centre that brings people together.

"It should be a bubbling centre of UK culture but it isn't and that's because we've never been given a chance.

"If there was ever a chance then this is it and it won't come again."

The prison was immortalised in Oscar Wilde's poem The Ballad of Reading Gaol

Mr Davies said having created the piece during lockdown would have been a "significant personal risk" for Banksy.

"It speaks volumes. He could have gone to wider issues around the world, there are plenty of them, but he has come to Reading to highlight this."

The jail famously housed Wilde between 1895 and 1897 and was immortalised by his poem Ballad of Reading Gaol during his stay, which reflected on the brutality of the Victorian penal system.

He was convicted after his affair with Lord Alfred Douglas was exposed.

The prison has been derelict since 2013 and was put up for sale by the government in 2019.

However, a deal to sell the Grade II-listed building to developers fell through last year and Reading council said it hoped to revive its bid to turn it into an arts complex.

Hollywood actors Sir Kenneth Branagh, Natalie Dormer and Dame Judi Dench are among the stars who have lent their support to the campaign.

Banksy caused a stir when a hula-hooping girl appeared on a residential street in Nottingham in October...

Banksy expert and vice-chancellor of Arts University Bournemouth, Prof Paul Gough, said the artwork could possibly be about the future use of the building or commentary on what is happening with news media and Facebook.

He said: "It's probably one of Banksy's less well-known features is that he has in the past donated quite a lot of work to what he thinks are charitable causes.

"So to give a piece of work to an organisation or at least in the interest of art has happened before - he's painted pictures on the side of youth clubs or in organisations he wants to be seen lending a hand.

"So there is a charitable arm to Banksy, which doesn't get written about or get celebrated very often."

He added: "I think it's terrific for art, public discourse, and draws attention to a brick wall - a lovely brick wall - that normally people would walk straight past, so it helps you see your public realm in different ways."

...and with a piece on the London Underground in July

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×