A new artwork attributed to the street artist Banksy has ignited a worldwide guessing game. The piece, depicting a lighthouse, was posted on Instagram with the caption, “I want to be what you see in me.” The lack of location facts has left fans playing detective, trying to determine the artwork’s whereabouts.

The second image shared offers few additional clues, showing a couple walking their dogs near the lighthouse. social media users have been sharing their theories on platforms like X, with many suggesting the artwork is located in southern France. one user on X wrote, “A new Banksy style… somewhere in Marseille,” while another French user commented,”The latest Banksy. maybe in Marseille?”

Social Media Sleuths Focus on Marseille

Online communities are buzzing with speculation about the mural’s location.

“The latest banksy. Maybe in Marseille?”

Another Instagram user wrote: “A silent cry for redemption… the lighthouse is a symbol of hope adn guidance but where the f*** is this located (Googles lighthouses in the UK)?” Another person replied: “Marseille.”

Further comments supported this theory, including, “Yup – Le Panier, Marseille” and, “It’s in Marseille”. One commenter claimed to have found the exact spot: “Found it: 1 Rue Félix Fregier, 13007 Marseille, France.”

Interpretation and Inspiration

The meaning of the artwork remains open to interpretation. Some speculate the quote is from the song ‘Lonely’ by the band Lonestar. The lyrics include: “You’re like god in this world/Fragile, beautiful/There’s so much trust in your eyes/They make me remember, blue skies and sunshine/I want to be what you see in me/I want to love you the way that you love me.”

Banksy is known for creating art with political messages, addressing topics like immigration, homelessness, and the conflict in Ukraine. in 2005, he and his team painted murals on the West Bank Wall, a structure built by the Israeli goverment that was deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice.

The artist has also created pieces with more ambiguous meanings, leaving the inspiration a mystery. In the summer of 2024, Banksy created a series of animal-themed artworks in London, featuring monkeys, wolves, pelicans, goats, cats, and elephants. These pieces, in his signature black stencil style, began with a mountain goat at Kew Bridge on August 5, followed by elephants in chelsea, monkeys on Brick Lane, a wolf in Peckham, pelicans in Walthamstow, a panther on Edgware Road, piranhas at Ludgate Hill, rhinos in Charlton, and a gorilla on the shutters of London Zoo.