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Battle to stop new Banksy being destroyed
Rashid Razaq5 Mar 2009
Street artist Banksy has created a new artwork on a building where two of his creations were jet-washed away by a council.
The stencil, in Gillett Square in Dalston, is to be painted over by Hackney council but a community organisation, Hackney Co-operative Developments, which owns the leasehold of the building, is set to take legal action to stop the council cleaning it off.
HCD executive director Adam Hart said: "I am shocked to hear of such an unpopular and unnecessary act of vandalism against a valuable work of art. Banksy is something of a folk hero."
The stencil shows a boy holding a stereo and a teddy bear.
Alan Laing, Hackney's Cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: "Our position is not to make a judgment call on whether graffiti is art or not, our task is to keep streets clean."
Reader views (15)
Hackney Council should listen to its community sometimes and not just to its own voice - the organisation that decided that what the borough needed was Ocean (now bankrupt) for its culture.
- Oliver, London, 12/03/2009 09:39
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I CANNOT believe someone has ruined the stencil, what a waste of time! Actually something interesting in the bland land that is Dalston
- Dan, London, 10/03/2009 12:36
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someone has tried to paint it back in hmmm not sure if its worked....
- Jem, London UK, 09/03/2009 16:30
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It's already been vandalised (daubed with paint) so I suppose that ends the argument.
- Anthony, Dalston, 08/03/2009 07:05
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LONG LIVE BANSKY!!!!
- Joner, san jose ,ca, 06/03/2009 15:27
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Banksey creates witty and provocative images, and ironically, Duncan from Kent has been a success for Banksey in that Duncan reacted to Banksey's artistic voice and intent. I would guess that that is what Banksey 'revels in' and that is where the value of street art lies.
- Krystie, Australia, 06/03/2009 07:14
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Sorry I just don't get this, this is graffiti and vandalism.
Why don't hackney just charge Banksy and take him/her to court?.
This is Carte Blanche for all the others to claim their vandalism is art so they are also exempt from criminal charges.
Banksy is a criminal and vandal. End of.
- Grumpy, london, 05/03/2009 22:54
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I seriously doubt Banksy himself intended it to be permanent, just "controversial" enough to get it covered by the mainstream media (at which he has succeeded) thereby raising his brand value.
- Cary Portway, New York, NY, 05/03/2009 21:22
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The rules only apply to a certain section of society.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 05/03/2009 16:45
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Please stop feeding this man's overinflated ego. It's not 'art' it's the emperors new clothes. The council is perfectly right to clean it off and should charge the man for his vandalism.
If Banksy wants to create street art get kids in schools involved in projects that have council approval. Anyone who would pay money for his 'pictures' is barking mad. Another exampole of the great rock and roll swindle.
The only saving grace is that he is not getting funds that people like Hirst and Emin make for there egotistical modern art you have to be intelligent to understand it rubbish.
Anyone who pays vast sums for artwork patently doesn't understand it and anyone who makes 'art' purely for vast sums of cash clearly is a business tycoon and not an artist. Banksy may not get the cash for his projects but he revels in the values they obtain
- Duncan, Kent, 05/03/2009 13:42
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Alan Laing from Hackney Council refers to keeping the streets clean - but isn't this piece of art on a wall that is not in the ownership of the Council.
Hackney Council is also quite happy to spend money putting up vast advertising banners on lamp-posts without seeking the views of residents who have to look at them. That Mr Laing is vandalism.
- Neil, London, 05/03/2009 13:36
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If they had brains at Hackney Council they'd sell it on the art market and use the money for the community. Don't Banskies go for 7 figure sums these days? I'm sure a cash strapped council like Hackney would benefit from that. Whatever you think of it's artistic merits, surely there is more to be made of this than washing it off? Seems very short sighted.
- Mcw, London, 05/03/2009 13:30
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Who is to judge whether this is really "art" or just an eye sore. Personally, I'd say it was the latter and should be washed off. There is plenty of evidence that toleration for graffiti sets a wider context for anti-social behaviour and an ugly and unsafe local community. If Banksy was really worried about the consequence he would't have put it there in the first place.
- Alan, London, 05/03/2009 12:23
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Hackney council is philistine and reactionary. They should leave Banksy's work alone. Hackney is a dump and needs art like this to brighten the place up.
- Jon, London, 05/03/2009 12:09
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"Our position is not to make a judgment call on whether graffiti is art or not, our task is to keep streets clean."
Jobsworth
- St, LondON, 05/03/2009 12:03
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