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Highly coveted limited edition color 21 x 29 screenprint on wove paper by street artist and political activist Banksy entitled ‘Nola,’ or ‘Umbrella Girl,’ numbered 4/31 in the ‘yellow rain’ variant, signed in the lower right corner in pencil with his artist signature, “Banksy.” Released in 2008 and published by Pictures on Walls, this rare ‘Nola’ print depicts a young girl holding an umbrella, her hand extended to detect the fall of rain. In a characteristic Banksy twist, the umbrella’s canopy, a normal agent of protection, proves to be the true source of the rain. The lower left of the print bears the edition number and a POW (Pictures on Walls) blindstamp of Banksy’s ‘Heavy Weaponry’ image, an elephant with a bomb strapped to its back. Archivally framed under Tru Vue UV-protective glass to an overall size of 25 x 33. In fine condition, with faint marks to the borders.
Banksy’s ‘Nola’ emerged in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, as a direct response to the catastrophic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The mural formed part of a series of around 15 works addressing the disaster’s impact on the city, including governmental failure and the resilience of its inhabitants. The title is an affectionate reference to the city’s nickname, which is strikingly personified by Banksy as a young girl, Nola, confused by the rain falling from inside her umbrella.
By reversing this function and allowing the rain to fall from within the umbrella rather than from the sky, Banksy suggests that the very systems and institutions created to protect us can, at times, cause harm instead. A clever critique of the failure of flood defenses meant to protect the city’s residents, the piece serves as a pointed indictment of FEMA and the government’s inadequate response to the crisis and its failure to safeguard those most affected by the storm.
The first edition of ‘Nola’ featured white raindrops and was released in 289 signed copies. Subsequent editions included 63 prints with grey rain, 32 with neon orange rain, and 31 with neon yellow rain. Additionally, 66 artist proofs were issued featuring multicolored rain. ‘Nola,’ in all her sadness and beauty, has since become one of Banksy’s most sought-after prints.
