This artwork was first shown in 2003 at “Turf War”, Banksy’s first major exhibition, held in a warehouse in East London. It later appeared again in Vienna and London.

The composition shows a fully equipped police officer in a heavy steel vest, but his face has been replaced by the classic yellow smiley symbol, and small, angelic wings sit on his back. As the sources note, this three-way contrast questions the line between “keeping the peace” and “militant force”, combining the tension between authority’s friendly self-image and the real threat it carries in a single figure.

Different versions of the piece have become highly valuable on the market. A double sided cardboard version titled “Flying Happy Copper” sold at Sotheby’s on 2 July 2008 for 39,650 pounds. A spray paint on cardboard version titled “Smiling Copper” sold on 11 April 2018 for 137,500 pounds, and a triple version on wood panel titled “Happy Copper” sold on 12 December 2017 for 84,500 pounds. A screenprint edition of 150 signed and 600 unsigned copies was also produced.

Flying Copper is a typical example of how Banksy combines a photorealistic stencil technique with graphic, cartoonish elements. It is a striking comment, and a visually very effective one, on the gap between state power and how that power presents itself.