CULTURE: Banksy Rats Invade Rollins

By Anonymous on 07 Oct

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As you walk down the pathway by the Campus Center, at first glance you will see a finely tamed garden, a well-formed brick road and a timeless in-ground fountain at the center of it all. It is another beautiful sunny day at Rollins.

However, in the midst of walking from the post office to the library, something near the ground catches your attention. You stop in your tracks, take a step back and a smile appears across your face.

You may point in disbelief and look around to see if anyone else is seeing what you see. It is a discreet yet impressionable rat clinging to an umbrella and suitcase making its way to its hole.

The campus has reacted positively toward this little rodent and students are making their way to take pictures with the image. Michelle Preston ’13 said, “If it brings happiness and joy into our campus life, I see absolutely nothing wrong with this work of art. I think it is a beautiful thing — to see art in unexpected places makes students smile.”

Her opinion does not stand alone. Other students around campus have been seen eating by the rats while others have been speculating about who the Rollins “Banksy” could be.

The technique used to create the “Rollins Rat” is almost identical to that of the English guerrilla graffiti artist Banksy, whose signature work is done using an offbeat stenciling technique. One of his most notable works is that of a rat in a business suit holding a briefcase and an umbrella.

Banksy became famous for his graffiti art because his works poke at politics, comment on society and showcase an element of playful humor on the sides of buildings in cities such as London. While some may consider graffiti vandalism, others consider it a form of artistic self-expression.

Banksy has been quoted as having said, “Writing graffiti is about the most honest way you can be an artist. It takes no money to do it, you don’t need an education to understand it, and there’s no admission fee.”

So far, only a couple of these Banksy look-alikes have been spotted by the Campus Center and they continue to make impressions on students, faculty and staff.
Take a walk by the Campus Center to see for yourself. It goes without saying that these black rats have added a touch of color to the campus.