The ship, named “Louise Michel” after a French anarchist, is a former French naval vessel that Banksy bought with proceeds from his artwork, according to the new search and rescue mission.
On its website, the Louise Michel project stated that it aims to “enforce maritime law and rescue everyone in danger without prejudice.”
The artist decorated it with a fire extinguisher and made an image of a girl in a life jacket that came out to a heart-shaped belt.
The artwork is similar in style to Banksy’s famous template wall art “Girl with Baloon”.
Banksy spray painted the ship with a fire extinguisher. Credit: Louise Michel
The boat first set sail on August 18 with 10-person crew and helped rescue 89 people in its first on Thursday mission, according to a spokeswoman for Louise Michel.
The ship is still in the Mediterranean, the spokesman confirmed on CNN Friday, seeking to find a port of safety for rescues, or to transfer them to a European coastguard.
According to the organization’s Twitter page, the rescued refugees left Libya and are “safely on board.”
Through his provocative artwork, Banksy often explores social issues such as war, political corruption, and the refugee crisis.
The image of Steve Jobs’ Banky on a wall in Calais, France in 2015 Credit: PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP / AFP / Getty Images
In 2015, two Banksy murals appeared in Calais, France. The first showed that late Apple founder Steve Jobs – the son of a Syrian migrant – carried a sack over his shoulder.
This is because the Covid-19 pandemic has left countries like Tunisia facing serious economic difficulties and unemployment, while others, including Libya, are facing the effects of war.
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