Love Is In The Air is perhaps one of Banksy’s most celebrated and iconic images. A young male figure wearing a bandana is caught in the moment of throwing a bouquet of flowers as if it were a Molotov cocktail in a scene which has become a core example of the artist’s humorous yet perceptive commentaries on sociopolitical issues. The original Love is in the Air stencil was created following the artist’s first solo exhibition at the Los Angeles Gallery 33 1/3 in 2002, before the image made a debut as graffiti on Jerusalem’s West Bank Wall. The image of the young dissident armed with his posy also appeared on the cover of the artist’s 2005 monograph, Wall and Peace, testament to the work’s status as an archetypal example of the artist’s essential motifs and themes.
Love Is In The Air was reproduced as a print series with a striking red background in 2003. The deep red colour, symbolic of both anger and love, emphasises the juxtaposition between the forceful stance of the subject and the delicate object they are preparing to throw. The present work is unique, however, as it was created outside of the edition. Created exclusively for a 2003 auction held to benefit the 20th anniversary of the Terrence Higgins Trust, a leading HIV and AIDS charity, the present work exemplifies the artist’s involvement in philanthropic endeavours. The 2003 auction was arranged to coincide with the Fresh Art Fair’s exhibition titled Inspiration, which featured specially created pieces by established contemporary artists and designers.
