Wherever there’s Banksy, there’s always something culturally significant happening. That’s why I was thrilled to visit Banksy Limtless, a brand new gallery opened in Sussex Mansions, South Kensington, for a limited time.
For the first time, Londoners, including myself, have been offered a chance to see such an extensive variety of Banksy’s famous street art pieces in a gallery setting. From various canvases and screenprints to a series of large-scale installations, a full experience is promised. I have noticed Banksy’s work online, but this time I was excited to come and see it with my own eyes. So come along and enjoy my review of Banksy Limitless. Who knows, you might feel tempted to pay a visit yourself.
The venue
From the moment we stepped into the venue in South Kensington, there was a palpable energy. Calm, yet charged with anticipation, the space invited us to slow down and engage with the layers of meaning behind each piece. Soft audio played in the background, narrating Banksy’s journey from the underground streets of the ’90s to global renown, weaving context and story into the atmosphere.
As we moved deeper into the gallery, it felt like stepping into a world where time slowed and attention sharpened. Each artwork demanded pause, reflection, and sometimes even discomfort, pulling us fully into the provocative and witty vision that has defined Banksy’s career.
The artworks
With hundreds of Banksy’s works all in one gallery, picking a single favourite was almost impossible. Lots of art pieces made me stop, gasp, or feel an emotional connection to them. Among the exhibition highlights, there were screens displaying pivotal cultural moments, including the Infinity Room, the Dismaland Bemusement Park, and the shredding of the Girl with Balloon. We even came across the meat company truck filled with screaming plush animal toys in action. All was both shocking and thought-provoking.
Honestly, seeing the Girl with Balloon was a real thrill for me. First displayed on London’s Southbank near Waterloo Bridge in 2002, it radiated hope and inspiration. Learning about its self-shredding at auction in 2018, only to be renamed Love is in the Bin, made the art piece even more significant. The exhibition left me with a vivid sense of why Banksy’s work resonates so powerfully, in both emotional and cultural senses.
One of the most memorable spots in the exhibition was definitely the Prankadilly Circus. I was surprised to see a recreation of a London underground station turned into a Banksy art display. It was almost giving his street art authenticity by bringing a piece of the city to the gallery. The station even had a train! Well, not a real one… but the screen above the train tracks kept shifting the view, creating an illusion of the train moving. The Prankadilly Circus also offered insights into several famous Banksy works, including the Exit Through the Gift Shop documentary film directed by Banksy, and the Sweep it Under the Carpet replica, which once appeared on a wall on Chalk Farm Road.
As someone who has been living in London for years, I was curious to see Banksy’s Limitless display of the Zoo, inspired by the 2024 animal murals. Knowing that the series was created to cheer up the British public, I was looking forward to experiencing them myself. With bright pink lights and green plants hanging on the walls, it truly felt like stepping into an animal kingdom.
With five-star reviews pouring in from the very start, crediting the venue and the incredible range of Banky’s art, I had to see the exhibition myself. And I wasn’t disappointed. By the end, not only did we get to learn more about Banksy’s journey, but also got to leave our own thoughts on the gallery wall. And guess what? We even tried our hand at spraypainting a shirt with the iconic Flower Thrower, getting a taste of what it’s like to step into the world of a street artist. I have to admit, this was definitely more than your usual gallery visit.