Because I’m Worthless belongs to Banksy’s 2004 “Placard Rat” series, a trilogy of screenprints also including Get Out While You Can and Welcome to Hell. In this version, a black-and-white stencilled rat stands upright, clutching a placard emblazoned with the phrase Because I’m Worthless in bold red.

The text is a satirical twist on L’Oréal’s famous advertising slogan, “Because I’m Worth It,” reframed to expose insecurity, consumer manipulation, and the absurdity of marketing mantras. The splash of red lettering provides both wit and urgency, breaking the monochrome image.

Released in an edition of 75 signed and 175 unsigned prints in red and pink colourways, the work remains one of the most iconic examples of Banksy’s use of rats as biting social commentary.