A poignant and provocative work, Banksy’s Vest from 2019 fuses patriotism with the realities of violence sweeping a nation, rendering it an unforgettable reflection on the fractured state of British identity. One of only five in existence, Vest belongs to Banksy’s Gross Domestic Product homewares line, which was first displayed in a shopfront in Croydon in South London in 2019, to comment on the impending commercialization of the Banksy brand.
“Who knew moving into gents tailoring could be this much fun? A vest that’s capable of stopping bullets up to .45 caliber. And yet it’s not machine washable.”
Addressing the stark realities of the United Kingdom’s surge in knife crime, the present work is a striking reinterpretation of the traditional John Bull gentleman’s waistcoat – an item long associated with British society, from the working class to the elite. Vest is a piece of armor incorporating a genuine, former police-issue bullet proof vest capable of stopping rounds from a gun. An object associated with law and order, or worn from fear and paranoia, Vest is adorned with a black, white, and blue Union Jack, however, the iconographic somber tones are disrupted by a rusty red hue suggestive of dried blood. This subtle yet powerful insinuation of threat to life evokes a sense of mourning, marking Vest as a chilling emblem of Britain’s present moment.
Stormzy on stage at Glastonbury Festival, 2019. Courtesy: Instagram
Ever the anti-establishment artist, Banksy chose one of the biggest platforms in music to disseminate his message: Glastonbury Festival. During his historic 2019 Pyramid Stage headline performance, British grime musician, singer-songwriter, and multi-award-winning artist Stormzy donned one of Banksy’s Vests, injecting a potent layer of visual tension into his electrifying set. Like Banksy, Stormzy used his platform to highlight systemic injustices, particularly the targeting of young Black men by a biased judicial system, as well as endemic surges in knife crime and widespread political unrest. His performance was visually punctuated by the stark imagery of the words “knife crime” projected behind him, alongside an excerpt from a speech by MP David Lammy, emphasizing the pressing issues plaguing the nation. In Stormzy’s hands, Banksy’s Vest transcended its utilitarian function, becoming a charged statement criticizing the fractured state of Britain. Amid the spectacle of his performance, Vest encapsulated the tension between strength and vulnerability, hope and despair, standing as a banner of a divided nation, where national identity is both celebrated and contested. A testament to its gravitas as a piece of cultural history, Stormzy’s vest is today housed in and displayed at the London Design Museum.
The stab-proof vest worn by Stormzy at Glastonbury in 2019 which was designed by street artist Banksy is on display at the new Cut & Run exhibition at Glasgow’s GoMA. Image: © Alamy 2024 Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo
Here lies the central paradox of Banksy’s work: it operates both inside and outside of the establishment, it skirts the boundary between good and bad taste, and courts mass appeal whilst commenting on potentially marginalizing political and cultural issues. Utilizing a mainstream framework, such as Glastonbury, that employs an ironic critical distance, Banksy is able to effectively approach a complicated and multifaceted discussion that prompts us to rethink our assumptions and, perhaps, even resist them.
Auction Results
Vest, 2019
Sotheby’s Hong-Kong: 28 September 2025
Estimated: HKD 2,200,000 – 3,200,000
HKD 4,826,000 / USD 620,310
Banksy 班克斯 | Vest 防彈背心 | Modern & Contemporary Evening Auction | 2025 | Sotheby’s
BANKSY (b. 1974)
Vest, 2019
Acrylic on canvas, velcro and Plastazote foam
45x43x32 cm (17 3/4 x 16 7/8 x 12 5/8 inches)
Signed and numbered (on the reverse)
Vest, 2019
Sotheby’s London: 9 October 2024
Estimated: GBP 200,000 – 300,000
GBP 780,000 / USD 1,021,800
Vest | Contemporary Evening Auction | 2024 | Sotheby’s (sothebys.com)
BANKSY (b. 1974)
Vest, 2019
Acrylic on canvas, velcro and Plastazte foam
45x43x32 cm (17 3/4 x 16 7/8 x 12 5/8 inches)
Signed and numbered 1 (on the reverse)
This work is number 1 from an edition of 5