Banksy's New Mural at Reading Prison References Oscar Wilde

Banksy has created a new mural on the wall of Reading Prison in England, depicting an escaping inmate using a rope of knotted sheets with a typewriter at the end. The artwork, which appeared in early March 2021, references Oscar Wilde, who was imprisoned there for homosexuality and wrote "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" after his release on May 19, 1897. The prison has been abandoned since 2013 and was put up for sale by the government in 2019. Vince John, director of 1loveart gallery in Bristol, expressed hope that the mural could encourage the building's transformation into a cultural hub. Banksy confirmed authorship via an Instagram video on March 4, 2021. The UK Ministry of Justice stated they are evaluating next steps.