Monkey Detonator continues Banksy’s long-standing use of monkeys as satirical stand-ins for humanity. Since the early 2000s, the artist has employed primates to provoke, parody, and critique social hierarchies.

In this work, the absurd sight of a monkey handling a detonator simultaneously amuses and unsettles. The comical absurdity of the image invites laughter, yet the underlying suggestion of danger reflects the darker socio-political themes that run throughout Banksy’s oeuvre. By giving a monkey the power to detonate, Banksy questions authority, responsibility, and the chaos latent within human systems.