Toxic Mary presents a reimagined Virgin Mary, draped in traditional Renaissance robes, lovingly feeding her infant. However, in this version, the child is given a bottle marked with a skull and crossbones, as if it contains poison. In contrast to Banksy's usual clean, precise style, this piece is marked by drips of paint, suggesting that the scene is dissolving before our eyes, evoking a sense of despair.
Through this provocative print, Banksy critiques religion as a toxic ideology, passed down from parent to child. More broadly, the piece comments on the toxicity inherent in family dynamics, where outdated beliefs and traditions are perpetuated from generation to generation. The artwork could also be seen as a critique of society's preference for Big Pharma-product use over natural breastfeeding. The skull-and-crossbones label on the bottle highlights not only the possibly dangerous content but also the manipulative, poisoned marketing behind it.
As with many of Banksy's works, Toxic Mary offers multiple interpretations.
The mother, convinced she is doing what's best for her child, is most likely unknowingly complicit in perpetuating a harmful system, having been conditioned to believe this is the best choice.