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We can barely keep up!
To recap: Mere days ago, graffiti artist Banksy resurfaced to create a mural at one of NYC’s most iconic locations. He painted over the famed Bowery Wall with a mural that draws attention to artist repression in Turkey. It features a portrait of Turkish artist Zehra Dogan, who was sentenced to nearly three years in prison for her paintings. She's depicted behind bars, one of which is a pencil, in the mural. (Within days, another graffiti artist has tagged the wall, as well.)
Never deterred, Banksy next snuck a rat onto a clock in Chelsea at 101 West 14th Street at Sixth Avenue. As of this morning, though, eyewitnesses spotted the rodent being removed by order of the building’s owners. The building was already scheduled for demolition, but apparently the owners hated the artwork so much that they just couldn’t wait to get rid of it. If only they had the same motivation for getting rid of the city’s live rats.
A tipster just sent me video of workers getting set to remove the rat race #Banksy off 14th and 6th. The building owner reportedly sent them. Of all the pieces, I would’ve bet money that one would’ve lasted the longest. pic.twitter.com/cxTrlxhyOh
— Bucky Turco (@buckyturco) March 20, 2018
However, just yesterday Banksy revealed that the new mural at Coney Island Avenue and Avenue I is indeed his doing. The work bordering an abandoned lot shows a businessman in a hard hat wielding a line graph and chasing a procession of children, women, animals and the elderly. Though it popped up around 10 days ago, it wasn’t confirmed as a Banksy until Monday.
And that’s not all: There are several other examples of street art in NYC that are rumored to be Banksy’s, including a “You loot we shoot” mural in Harlem and a seal with an orange ball on its nose that’s right next to the above Coney Island mural. Banksy has yet to claim the works as his own, but we’re sure this story isn’t over yet, so stay tuned.
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