Finsbury Park's tree artwork in London sparks Banksy speculation: Everything to know

A new tree mural, which appeared overnight in Finsbury Park, has elicited prompts of being the work of street artist Banksy. The mural, discovered on the side of a building on March 17, showed a barren tree with the appearance of artificial foliage using vivid green paint, with people suspecting it to be a social commentary on the current environmental situation.

Although the artist has not yet claimed the mural, many speculate it to be his handiwork as it held all the key features associated with his pieces.

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Banksy experts theorize that the mural was created using a pressure hose or fire extinguisher

According to the BBC, James Peak, creator of the BBC Radio 4 series The Banksy Story, postulated that the elusive graffiti artist used unconventional methods to create the new mural, which was discovered in Hornsey Road in north London.

He claimed that the artist used a pressure hose or a fire extinguisher to create the green mass forming the bare tree's backdrop, mimicking the foliage's appearance. He also added that the mural had all the hallmarks of the artist's work, continuing:

"To my mind it looks like a dead cert. But as ever with Banksy - you never quite know, until he fesses up by posting it on his website."

Peak also claimed that the message of the artwork was along the themes of nature's struggles and how it was up to us to nurture it.

"The message is clear. Nature's struggling and it is up to us to help it grow back. It's spring now, and this tree should be bursting forth with leaves, but Banksy must have cycled past and thought how miserable it looks," Peak continued.

According to Metro, the mural also showed a silhouette of a girl holding a pressure hose and looking up at the foliage. The vivid green paint matched the local signs used by Islington Council, which Peak underlined as depicting the graffiti artist's eye for detail.

The green was also synonymous with the St. Patrick's Day color, the day on which the mural appeared.

Peak also explained the "Banksy effect," which saw places tagged with his art encounter a sudden influx of people rushing in to take pictures of the murals, as in the case of Port Talbot and Norfolk.

The artwork has gained steady traction on social media for being an alleged handiwork of the famed artist. Islington councilor Flora Williamson, who stumbled upon the mural while canvassing the area, tweeted on X:

"But by far the most exciting thing to happen on todays canvass session on hornsey road was seeing that Banksy had come to Tollington over night. Lots of local interest - I’m a fan of it."

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Banksy, who usually claims his works by posting their pictures on his website or social media, has yet to take credit for the mural. The artist, whose true identity has never been revealed, is known for his satirical street art that often highlights the current social and political climate.

His last post on Instagram, dated December 22, 2023, showed a "STOP" sign with three planes overlaying the word. The comments section was filled with people speculating the art to be a critique of the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.