Emerging on a wall on Clipstone Street in London’s Fitzrovia district in 2011, If Graffiti Changed Anything offers an ironic critique of street art’s impact on societal change.

The artwork features the phrase “If Graffiti Changed Anything – It Would Be Illegal” written on the wall, accompanied by a rat with red paint on its paws, having evidently created the piece, as indicated by its paw print signature. Banksy questions street art’s power as a tool of resistance against authority while critiquing how the system suppresses such expressions by deeming them illegal and rendering them ineffective.

The rat, a recurring symbol in Banksy’s work, represents society’s “undesirable” groups while also embodying their resilience and resistance.

The phrase references Emma Goldman’s quote, “If voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal.” By adapting this quote to the context of street art, Banksy critiques art’s potential to drive societal change and how it is perceived as a threat by authorities.

Created in 2011, a year marked by protests against the capitalist system, street art became a tool of resistance within these movements.

Fitzrovia, known for its art galleries and cultural events, was an apt choice by Banksy, allowing the mural to resonate with both the art world and a broader public audience.

The mural garnered significant attention upon its appearance; however, it was soon removed by local authorities, highlighting once again the authorities’ indifference to critical art.

If Graffiti Changed Anything serves as a manifesto, critiquing the impact of street art on the system and how this impact is suppressed by authority, urging viewers to believe in art’s transformative power and to defend it.