Banksy goes undercover for coronavirus art on London underground

Mysterious street artist Banksy has undertaken a stealthy feat to paint a series of virus-inspired rats on the London underground.

UK graffiti artist Banksy has gone undercover to paint stealthy lockdown themed messages on London’s underground.

The anonymous graffiti artist posted a video to his Instagram account on Tuesday showing him dressed as a cleaner and entering the tube.

He spray-painted stencils of his trademark rats in various guises, including with surgical masks and spraying sneezes over tube carriage windows.

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It comes after London’s underground bosses announced they would introduce regular cleaning of carriages undertaken by staff wearing full boilersuits that make them almost impossible to recognise.

The video is entitled ‘If you don’t mask – you don’t get’ in reference to the mandatory wearing of masks on the underground. It comes on the same day that masks were made compulsory in shops in England after months of government dithering on the issue.

The playful video finishes with the line “I get locked down, but I get up again” set to the famous Chumbawumba song Tubthumbing.

Banksy has revealed a rodent-themed installation inside his own bathroom. Picture: Supplied

'Devolved parliament' by British artist Banksy sold for £9,879,500 following a 13-minute battle between 10 different bidders. Picture: Tolga Akmen / AFP

Banksy’s shop named 'Gross Domestic Product' appeared over night and features the stab vest he designed for Stormzy's headline act at the Glastonbury Festival. A Tony the Tiger rug and a cradle surrounded by CCTV cameras are also on show as part. Picture: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images

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The world-famous street artist has consistently made headlines with his zeitgeist capturing artwork and social commentary.

Recently, he dressed black grime artist Stormzy in a stab-proof vest painted in the Union Jack flag for a headline slot at UK festival Glastonbury.

He made headlines around the world at a Sotheby’s auction where his coveted 2006 piece Girl With Balloon went under the hammer, triggering a shredder that was hidden in the frame to start destroying the artwork.

In fact, it stopped working halfway through leaving the £1.042 million ($A1.9 million) sale potentially more valuable to the buyer.

While several names have been attributed to the elusive street artist, he has never revealed his true identity and the small circle of people who know remain loyal to him.

It’s widely accepted his career began in early 1990s Bristol as part of a street art crew, though he exploded to international fame through exhibitions such as Dismaland and his 2010 documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop.