Banksy unveils a new statue in central London of a man blinded by a flag
Banksy unveils a new statue in central London of a man blinded by a flag
LONDON— Elusive street artist Banksy said Thursday that a new sculpture that appeared in central London of a man striding off a plinth, with his face blinded by a billowing flag, is his work.
In a humorous video posted Thursday on his Instagram account, Banksy showed snippets of how the sculpture was put up in the dead of night. The sculpture appeared to have been erected in the early hours of Wednesday on a plinth on a traffic island in Waterloo Place, near Buckingham Palace.
Before the artist's post, locals and tourists gathered to inspect the statue on the assumption it was Banksy's work because his signature was scrawled at the base of the plinth.
A new Banksy statue has appeared in London
Westminster City Council said on Friday they would not remove the large work, which appears to be made of resin or fibreglass.
"We welcome Banksy's latest sculpture in Westminster, which makes a striking addition to the city's vibrant public art scene," a council spokesperson said in a statement.
"While we have taken initial steps to protect the statue, at this time it will remain accessible for the public to view and enjoy."
The statue is situated close to those of King Edward VII, who reigned between 1901 and 1910, and legendary nurse Florence Nightingale, as well as the Crimean War Memorial.
Statues are not what Banksy is primarily known for. He is far more famous for his spray-painting on buildings, with his first creations appearing in the early 1990s in his hometown of Bristol in southwest England. He has since gone global and his paintings and installations have sold for millions of dollars at auction. His street art is often targeted by thieves and vandals.
Banksy, who has never publicly revealed his identity, is part of a tradition of street artists who viewed the undercover act of posting their art in public as a subversive form of expression.
No comments:
Post a Comment