Banksy’s Devolved Parliament is the artist’s largest known canvas, depicting the House of Commons populated entirely by chimpanzees. Painted in 2009, it satirises the state of British politics with a darkly comic substitution suggesting that governance has descended into chaos and absurdity.

The work was first exhibited at Banksy vs Bristol Museum in 2009, before returning to the Bristol Museum in March 2019 to mark the tenth anniversary of the exhibition and Britain’s planned exit from the European Union. At the time, Banksy reflected: “I made this 10 years ago. Bristol Museum has just put it back on display to mark Brexit day. Laugh now, but one day no one will be in charge.”

In October 2019, Devolved Parliament sold at Sotheby’s London for £9.9 million ($12.2 million), setting a record for Banksy’s work at auction. Its enduring relevance lies in its biting critique of political spectacle and dysfunction, making it one of the artist’s most iconic statements on power and society.