Banksy
Get Out While You Can (Pink) (Signed) , 2004
Screen print
19 3/4 x 13 3/4 in
50 x 35 cm
50 x 35 cm
Edition of 75
Series: Get Out While You Can
Copyright The Artist
Get Out While You Can (Pink) is a 2004 screen print by Banksy that explores the themes of capitalism, protest and the working class. Released and published by Pictures on Walls the work is from a signed edition of 75 and an unsigned edition of 175. Banksy’s Get Out While You Can print is part of a series of three, commonly known as the Placard Rats, with each rat holding a protest placard with a phrase seemingly graffitied onto the card. Get Our While You can appear as a phrase on the placard held aloft by the rat. The phrase itself conveys meanings of danger and escapism. Escapism from what we ask? Banksy, known only to a select few, is challenging us to question our place in society and our own worth. Through protest, the attempt to both challenge and change the status quo, we have the chance to get out of the rat race, to leave behind the trappings, violence and destruction of capitalism and escape. The phrase itself is a reference to a book by George Marshall titled "Get Out While You Can" which discusses escaping wage slavery and consumerism. The rat can be seen to symbolize the working class, every day person on the street, and the masses, and how society deems them worthless and not good enough. Protest is the answer. Far from being downtrodden and ignored, rats themselves living as marginalised animals, eking out a living in shadows and on the peripheries of society, The work is a call to arms as Banksy invites the disenfranchised and working classes to embrace protest, to question their value and to rise up.
For Banksy, the rat has become an iconic and recurring motif. Banksy's rats are depicted in various contexts and situations, often appearing as stenciled graffiti in public spaces or as prints.
These rats serve as a metaphorical tool for Banksy to convey his social and political commentary. They are portrayed engaging in human-like activities or interacting with elements of urban life, conveying messages of rebellion, social critique, and wit. These rodent figures are sometimes depicted wearing clothes, holding signs, or carrying out acts that mirror human behavior, provoking thought and reflection on societal issues.
The rat prints by Banksy are a reflection of his signature style, combining simple yet impactful imagery with clever and thought-provoking messages. They have garnered attention and admiration for their ability to communicate powerful ideas in a visually striking and accessible manner.
The rats in Banksy's art often represent the overlooked or marginalized members of society, challenging viewers to reconsider their perceptions and question authority, norms, and power structures. Their presence in Banksy's art adds depth to his overall narrative, offering a playful yet thought-provoking commentary on various contemporary social and political issues.
