New Works Appear Simultaneously at Two London Locations

Anonymous British street artist Banksy revealed a new mural on December 22nd via his Instagram account at Queen's Mews in Bayswater, London. The black-and-white stencil artwork depicts two children wearing winter hats and boots, lying down and pointing toward the sky.

Notably, an identical image also appeared several kilometers away near Centre Point Tower on Tottenham Court Road. In the Bayswater piece, the two children appear to be lying on a garage roof, with the red lights of a construction crane above them evoking a Christmas tree. In the Centre Point version, the children are looking up at a high-rise building.

170,000 Children Spending Christmas in Temporary Housing

This artwork emerges against the backdrop of Britain's severe housing crisis. According to UK government statistics, as of June 2025, over 172,000 children in England were living in temporary accommodation—a 7.5% increase from the previous year and an all-time high.

Released during the Christmas season, this work directly addresses the reality of 'homeless children.' The image of children gazing at the stars is widely interpreted as symbolizing the hopes of children dreaming of stable housing.

Centre Point: Symbol of 1970s Housing Protests

The appearance of the artwork near Centre Point Tower is no coincidence. This location is the historical site of 1970s housing protests and the namesake of Centrepoint, Britain's largest youth homelessness charity.

In 1969, Centre Point Tower was a luxury office building, yet most of its space stood empty. Outraged citizens condemned this as "an insult to the homeless" and staged occupation protests, which led to the creation of a charity dedicated to addressing youth homelessness. Banksy appears to have incorporated this historical context into his choice of location.

Banksy's Continued Social Commentary

Banksy has consistently addressed social issues through his work. Last September, he unveiled a piece outside London's Royal Courts of Justice depicting a judge wielding a gavel against protesters, criticizing Britain's intensified crackdown on demonstrations. The artwork appeared following protest ban orders against Palestinian activist groups, after which hundreds were arrested, sparking debates about freedom of expression.

This 'Children Gazing at Stars' mural follows Banksy's characteristic style of direct social criticism. According to multiple international media sources, only the Bayswater piece was posted to Banksy's official Instagram on Monday afternoon, though the Centre Point work shares identical style and messaging, leading to ongoing debates about its authenticity.

Through street art, Banksy has consistently given voice to the marginalized, and once again, during the symbolic Christmas season, he has reminded the world of the reality facing 'homeless children.'