In 2015, The Son of a Migrant from Syria, more commonly known as the ‘Steve Jobs’ mural, appeared near the ‘Calais Jungle’ refugee camp in Calais, France.

This artwork strikingly reveals Banksy’s critique of the migrant crisis and societal perceptions toward refugees. Banksy draws attention to the crisis while delivering a powerful message about migrants’ potential: despite being ostracized by society, they can hold immense potential.

The mural depicts Steve Jobs, in his iconic black turtleneck and holding an Apple computer, portrayed as a migrant with a sack of belongings beside him. Presenting Jobs as a migrant disrupts conventional perceptions, surprising viewers.

The Son of a Migrant from Syria conveys Banksy’s critique of the migrant crisis and prejudices against refugees through Steve Jobs’ identity. Jobs, Apple’s founder and a tech icon, had a father, Abdulfattah Jandali, who was a Syrian migrant. The sack and Jobs’ placement in a refugee camp symbolize the struggles and exclusion migrants face; yet, the computer in his hand shows that despite these challenges, migrants can achieve great success. Banksy challenges society’s biases against refugees: a migrant shunned today could change the world tomorrow.

In 2015, the Syrian civil war displaced millions, intensifying the migrant influx into Europe. According to the UN, over 1 million refugees attempted to reach Europe that year, but thousands perished in the Mediterranean. Harsh policies and societal prejudices against migrants grew, with anti-migrant rhetoric rising across Europe and many countries closing their borders.

It was also four years after Steve Jobs’ death; his Syrian roots were often highlighted in discussions about the migrant crisis at the time.

Banksy moves viewers beyond mere observation, urging them to take responsibility for the migrant crisis and question their prejudices.