Newest Banksy Mural in North London, Islington, recently suffered vandalism. Because of this unfortunate event, there is a fortress-like protection around the mural, which annoys local people. After a vandal sprayed white paint on the artwork, the property owner installed plastic sheeting and wooden planks, thereby concealing the artwork from the public’s gaze.
Protection After Vandalism
The street artist’s splashing of green paint on the curb of an otherwise unremarkable home operates to appear like the missing leaves of a nearby cherry tree. The tree is supposedly deteriorating and has been severely clipped by the Islington council. At ground level, the street artist added a stencilled image with a spray can and hose. This image appears to be gazing up at their work.
The mural debuted two weeks ago and attacked just a few days after it became known as a Banksy. Initially, Islington council erected a high metal fence surrounding the project to make it more difficult to approach by foot. It is also adding surveillance cameras to prevent future destruction.
The Home Owner Took Matters Into His Own Hands
Get the latest articles delivered to your inbox
Sign up to our Free Weekly NewsletterApparently dissatisfied with these tactics, the building’s owner, who is now the legal owner of the artwork, took the matter into his own hands. As a first layer of security, they erected a plastic screen over the mural. They also encircled the artwork with tall wooden planks. This barrier has holes lined with transparent acrylic panels, allowing pedestrians to watch the work.
It is unsurprising that the owner wants to safeguard the work. Earlier this month, a Newcastle auction house set a high price of $890,000 for a repaired Banksy, first spray painted on an East London business block in 2006. The same house sold other Banksy unique The Merrivale Stable, in 2022. The clearly blocked wooden structure created by the building’s eager owner generated concern among locals.
A woman called Mary Dickenson told the BBC, “they blocked everything off now, so you can’t really see anything”. “What I see is a disaster”, added Güley Polat, a German tourist and Banksy superfan who travelled to see the street artist’s latest masterpiece. “It seems like we are in prison. I think Banksy doesn’t want to have his street art in a prison”. “It’s street art, it should be accessible to everybody”, another member of the public.
