Happy Choppers stands as one of Banksy’s most recognisable anti-war statements. Debuting at the 2003 Crude Oils exhibition in London, a show staged in a derelict shop and populated with live rats, it exemplifies the artist’s blend of wit, menace, and social critique.

The work depicts a formation of Apache helicopters advancing in flight, each adorned with a large, childlike pink bow. This absurd embellishment transforms the machinery of destruction into something superficially “cute,” exposing the hypocrisy in how governments and media often soften or rebrand violence to make it palatable.

Humour and unease operate simultaneously: the bows elicit laughter, yet the presence of the helicopters remains menacing. This duality underscores Banksy’s central theme forcing viewers to confront the absurdity of militarism while recognising its continued grip on modern society. By appropriating the visual language of both war and play, Happy Choppers destabilises familiar symbols and challenges audiences to question the narratives that surround power and conflict.