The Flower Thrower, Flower Bomber, Rage, or Love is in the Air is a 2003 stencil mural in Beit Sahour in the West Bank by the graffiti artist Banksy, depicting a masked man throwing a bunch of flowers.[1] It is considered one of Banksy's most iconic works; the image has been widely replicated.[1]
It was inspired by images of 1960s protests, such as Bruno Barbey photograph of the May 68 protests in France (e.g. his photograph of Boulevard Saint-Germain, 6th arrondissement, Paris, France. May 6, 1968).[2]
An earlier version was originally drawn by Banksy in 1999 and presented at his first exhibition in 2000.[3]
Studio Release
Flower Thrower was released as a screenprint edition of 150 signed versions and 600 unsigned versions by the publishers Pictures on Walls in 2003. The work features the motif of the masked man set on a red background.[4]
The motif was also used overlaid against a red CCCP text in 2003 in an edition of 8 to 10 known as CCCP Love Is in the Air.[5] On 13 July 2023, an example of CCCP Love Is in the Air sold for £53,340 at the "New Now" auction at Phillips auction house, London.[6]