To mark the third anniversary of the Syrian civil war—a conflict that has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced—street artist Banksy has reworked one of his most famous pieces. A version of his stencil art depicting a young girl playing with a heart-shaped balloon now shows a child Syrian refugee. The image will be projected on the sides of several global landmarks—including the Eiffel Tower—throughout the day. Explaining the piece, Banksy wrote on his website:
On the 6th March 2011 in the Syrian town of Daraa, fifteen children were arrested and tortured for painting anti-authoritarian graffiti. The protests that followed their detention led to an outbreak of violence across the country that would see a domestic uprising transform into a civil war displacing 9.3 million people from their homes. #WithSyria
The hashtag is part of a campaign to raise awareness about the on-going conflict and plight of its victims …
