A New Artwork by Banksy Unveiled in London
A ninth artwork by the mysterious artist Banksy has been discovered in London, marking another addition to the ever-growing collection of his public pieces. This latest mural is located on a white shutter at London Zoo and features a gorilla lifting its base to release birds and a seal. The piece appears to be part of a broader theme that connects with previous artworks, as different animals have been scattered across the city in recent days.
Since August 5, a new piece by Banksy has appeared every day in London, creating a sense of anticipation among art enthusiasts and locals alike. Each day, the artist posts an artwork on his Instagram account around 1pm, keeping followers engaged and curious about what will come next.
The most recent piece, a rhino mounted on a silver Nissan Micra with a traffic cone on its bonnet, was defaced just hours after it was unveiled. The artwork was located on Westmoor Street in Charlton, and a video obtained by BBC News showed a man wearing a black balaclava spray-painting the piece, leaving behind a white tag. Despite this act of vandalism, the piece remains a notable addition to Banksy’s growing portfolio.
Earlier this week, a piece featuring piranhas on a police sentry box was removed from near London’s Old Bailey court for preservation. The artwork, which turned the box into a giant fish tank using translucent spray paint, had been displayed on Ludgate Hill before being taped off by the local council. The glass-paned box is now temporarily housed at the City of London Corporation’s offices, less than 15 minutes from its original location. A spokesperson for the authority stated that the artwork would be kept there to ensure it is properly protected and accessible for the public to view safely. A permanent home for the piece will be decided in due course.
Banksy’s first piece was a goat perched on top of a wall, followed by silhouettes of elephants, monkeys, a wolf, pelicans, and a cat. These artworks have appeared in various locations across London, each adding to the mystery and intrigue surrounding the artist.
The sixth piece, a stretching cat on an empty, distressed advertising hoarding, was removed from its location in north-west London hours after it was unveiled on Saturday. Crowds were reportedly upset when the piece in Cricklewood was dismantled by three men who claimed they were “hired” by a “contracting company” to take down the billboard for safety reasons.
This was not the first time one of Banksy’s works was removed. Earlier in the week, a howling wolf on a satellite dish was taken off the roof of a building in Peckham, south London, less than an hour after it was unveiled. A spokesperson for Banksy clarified that the artist was neither connected to nor endorsed the removal of the wolf artwork and had no knowledge of the dish’s current whereabouts.
Another piece, depicting a pelican stooping to scoop up a fish on the sign of Bonners Fish Bar in Walthamstow, east London, has also gained attention. The artwork was accompanied by a message on the shop’s Instagram page expressing gratitude for the unexpected visit from the anonymous artist. The fish and chip shop had announced its closure from August 1 until September 5, and the message said: “The last few days have been a whirlwind, thank you to all who have sent such kind words, comments and messages. We’re so sorry if we haven’t replied, as you can imagine it’s been extremely overwhelming! We’re over the moon that Banksy decided to choose our little fish and chip shop in wonderful Walthamstow and love the design. Contrary to some beliefs, we didn’t ask him to do this, but are very grateful he did!”
