PROVENANCE. Private Collection,Whanganui, NZ
Purchased at Art Republic, London, 2004, by current owner.

Accompanied by original Art Republic tube Certificate of Authenticity from Pest Control

Toxic Mary is an early street art work by Banksy that first appeared as a painting in his exhibition Turf War in 2003. It was a limited edition of 750 prints, with 150 signed and 600 unsigned prints. Toxic Mary is an original spin on one of the most important symbols in the history of orthodox iconographic art: The Madonna and Christ child. Banksy's half-figure Madonna resembles the style associated with Italian Renaissance art, and is an image which easily embeds itself into popular iconography. In Toxic Mary, Banksy satirizes the relationship between mother and child, but also between religious authority and layperson. To a layperson, religion may offer security, but it does not always equal safety. The figure of Madonna is seen feeding a poisonous formula to the infant Christ. Banksy implies that many across the world feel that religion has disproportionately sparked wars, caused death, and fostered a sense of cultural intolerance.