[robertlondon]

The story's about the council whitewashing over it... but did I miss the piece?... can anyone direct me to a picture?... and I know it's the Daily Mail and we don't believe them blah-de-blah etc



Council paints over street artist Banksy's graffiti murals - worth a fortune!
By Jo Macfarlane and Sharon Feinstein
Last updated at 2:37 AM on 08th June 2008

They are coveted pieces of modern art which fetch up to £1million in auction and are owned by Hollywood royalty.

But to one council, murals by the reclusive street artist Banksy appear to be little more than worthless graffiti.

For soon after Banksy’s latest work appeared on a North London street, conscientious workers from Islington Council have obliterated it, by whitewashing the offending wall.


Cover up: A whitewashed wall now hides the latest work by street artist Banksy

The 4ft by 4ft stencil, set on a lime green background, depicted two young girls sitting at a desk with a Kalashnikov rifle, playing with bullets rather than pencils.

The elusive Banksy, with his face hidden, was spotted painting the scene towards the end of last month.

But the mural, which would have been worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, was promptly painted over with masonry paint, after residents complained.

A local trader watched the artwork take shape and chatted to the secretive artist, who jokingly denied he was Banksy and said he was there to create an ‘advertising promotion’.


A possible self-portrait of the elusive artist

The trader described the guerrilla painter, whose real identity has never been revealed, as ‘a very nice and pleasant chap’ in his 30s with a regional accent who was dressed in a green cotton army jacket and black jeans with closely-cropped mousy hair.

The trader, who did not want to be named, said Banksy told him he had painted the background colour on too thickly, and would have to wait until it dried before being able to use his stencils.

He said: ‘I saw Banksy literally watching paint dry! I told him it could be ruined soon, but he said as long as a few people saw it and enjoyed it, that was OK with him.

‘The final mural was beautiful. The council are idiots. Why don’t they concentrate on the real graffiti and leave street art for people to enjoy?’


A coveted piece of modern art: Art terrorist Banksy's paintings' are viewed by the council as graffiti

Last year, Islington Council compiled a list of works by Banksy in their area to prevent them being painted over by clean-up teams.

But one council spokesman now says: ‘It’s graffiti and we treat it that way, whether it’s Banksy or not. Residents in the houses opposite complained and we covered it up.’

Banksy’s work has been bought by stars such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. At an auction in New York earlier this year, a piece sold for £950,000.

In an interview in The Mail on Sunday’s Live magazine today, Banksy talks about his recent artistic assault on an entire street near Waterloo Station in London. He said:

‘Graffiti doesn’t always spoil buildings. In fact, it’s the only way to improve a lot of them. In the space of a few hours with a couple of hundred cans of paint, I’m hoping we can transform a dark, forgotten filth pit into an oasis of beautiful art – in a dark, forgotten filth pit.’

[etched]

nice

[fuzzed]

I've not heard of any such piece. The Daily Mail seem to love Banksy don't they?

[insite]

T'was a Hutch

www.flickr.com/photos/streetkonst/2563398457/

[rosstierney]

Jun 9, 2008 17:13:08 GMT 1 @insite said:

T'was a Hutch

www.flickr.com/photos/streetkonst/2563398457/

good find insite!

this is the image hutch refers to as being painted over by the council:

www.flickr.com/photos/streetkonst/2536085327/

www.flickr.com/photos/streetkonst/2537615289/

[beefloaf]

I APPROVE OF THE COUNCIL'S DECISION.

[Prescription Art]

Looks like it was a nice piece. I like it anyway....

[ragingbull]

That ain't a Kalashnikov either.

[Natas]

And that isn't two girls!

[Run Pig Run]

not lime green either.

[thesewalls]

believe 75% of everything you see, 50% of everything you hear, and 25% of everything you read...thats what my grandaddy always used to say...

[andrewd]

It even has a Hutch tag on it. Good to see the Mail doing its homework as usual.......

[fuzzed]

Pretty much sums up the mail for me.

[Martin Whatson]

Im getting so pissed that just because it is a banksy you should leave it. Not because everybody thinks it looks so nice, but because its worth so much!!
Streetart, graffiti and stencils painted on the streets should be waiting to get buffed. Thats some of the beauty of it all.

This thing really gets on my nerves.

Council paints over street artist Banksy's graffiti murals - worth a fortune!

[low3]

Love the way that journalists automatically assume that a decent bit of stencil art anywhere in the UK or otherwise is obviously a banksy. I think it does more harm than good.

Anyone remember the traffic warden in manchester? as soon as the paper's mentioned banksy you could almost hear the pikey's rushing to their vans to rip it off the wall and get it on the bay........

[Pure Evil]

Jun 10, 2008 0:15:19 GMT 1 fuzzed said:

Pretty much sums up the mail for me.

'clueless cn*ts' pretty much sums up the Daily Mail..

[craigf]

Jun 10, 2008 5:41:38 GMT 1 Pure Evil said:

Jun 10, 2008 0:15:19 GMT 1 fuzzed said:

Pretty much sums up the mail for me.

'clueless cn*ts' pretty much sums up the Daily Mail..

I would tend to agree PE, but I think you are insulting any other clueless cn*ts by putting the Daily Mail in the same category. I think the DM is one or two levels further down the evolutory ladder ;D

[insite]

Jun 10, 2008 1:30:17 GMT 1 low3 said:

Love the way that journalists automatically assume that a decent bit of stencil art anywhere in the UK or otherwise is obviously a banksy. I think it does more harm than good.

Anyone remember the traffic warden in manchester? as soon as the paper's mentioned banksy you could almost hear the pikey's rushing to their vans to rip it off the wall and get it on the bay........

Yeah because it's only travellers that ever take street art isn't it.



t**t

[thebleedingedge]

yeah that pikey comment was bullshit...

WhatsOn: It's not a bad thing that the council don't buff Banksy's, where some people see obstacles others see oppurtunity, case in point, street artists are supposed to find new and interesting ways to fight the buff... and now you have a golden oppurtunity to guarantee your work can stay up and get maximum exposure, as long as you don't let your ego take over and feel the need to brand it with your alias that is. It is hypocrisy but it's a good thing, the council are giving us an inch, so take your mile. No more excuses.

[Pure Evil]

Jun 10, 2008 6:41:03 GMT 1 craigf said:

Jun 10, 2008 5:41:38 GMT 1 Pure Evil said:

'clueless cn*ts' pretty much sums up the Daily Mail..

I would tend to agree PE, but I think you are insulting any other clueless cn*ts by putting the Daily Mail in the same category. I think the DM is one or two levels further down the evolutory ladder ;D

ok.. how about

'The Daily Mail : clueless , totally misinformed knuckledragging cn*ts who will probably be first against the wall come the revolution'

[onemandown72]

I switch off whenever I here the words Daily Mail / Daily Express as they spout the most insidious bile under the umbrella of being a respectable newspaper. I have more respect for the Star / Sun / Mirror / Sport as at regardless of what they publish at least they are honest about what they represent.
In fact I wouldn't even wipe my ar*e with either paper as that would be a reason to print them.

[Billy Sport]

at least the desk part is right, right?

[kiy]

Jun 10, 2008 11:09:03 GMT 1 Billy Sport said:

at least the desk part is right, right?

Looks like a table to me....