Jack Aylmer

LONDON ZOO HAS TAKEN SOME UNEXPECTED MEASURES TO PRESERVE ITS NEW ATTRACTION: A MURAL BY THE FASCINATING STREET ARTIST BANKSY.

The artwork, which mysteriously appeared at the zoo gate, depicted a gorilla lifting part of the gate so that birds and a sea lion could escape. It quickly became a visitor hit, attracting large crowds.

THE ZOO’S DIRECTOR SAID THEY ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO BANKSY FOR PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON WILDLIFE AND CALLED IT A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT IN THE ZOO’S HISTORY. FOR JUST FIVE DAYS THE ZOO DECIDED TO REMOVE THE MURAL IN ORDER TO PRESERVE IT. THEY COVERED THE ORIGINAL WORK WITH A REPRODUCTION AND ADDED A SIGN READING “BANKSY WOZ ERE.”

A REPRESENTATIVE FOR BANKY TOLD THE OBSERVER THAT THE MURAL, LIKE HIS OTHER RECENT WORKS, WAS INTENDED TO BE ENCOURAGEMENT IN DIFFICULT TIMES. IT IS PART OF A LARGER ANIMAL-THEMED SERIES, SOME PIECES OF WHICH HAVE BEEN STOLEN OR REMOVED FOR SECURITY REASONS. ONE OF THESE PIECES DEPICTED A WOLF HOWLING ON A SATELLITE DISH. THIS PAINTING WAS STOLEN JUST HOURS AFTER BANKSY CONFIRMED IT AS HIS WORK. THEFT IN THE ART WORLD IS NOTHING NEW.

AS ATTRACTIVE AS BANKSY CAN BE TO ART DEALERS, SELLING STOLEN ARTWORKS IS NOT THAT SIMPLE. THE LACK OF A PROPER CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY CAN RESULT IN A STOLEN BANKSY WORK BEING SOLD FOR FAR LESS THAN ITS RIGHTFUL MARKET PRICE.

SIGNIFICANTLY, TWO COLLECTORS FILED SUIT AGAINST THE ARTIST EARLIER THIS YEAR, ARGUING THAT BANKSY’S REFUSAL TO AUTHENTICATE HIS WORKS WOULD HARM THE VALUE OF HIS ART. SOME EXPERTS BELIEVE THIS SITUATION IS MORE ABOUT MARKET MANIPULATION THAN AUTHENTICITY. A LEADING GRAFFITI ART SPECIALIST BELIEVES BANKSY WILL ONLY AUTHENTICATE WORKS FOR SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.

MANY, INCLUDING BANKSY, ARGUED THAT THESE WORKS BELONG TO THE PUBLIC AND SHOULD NOT BE REMOVED FOR PERSONAL OR COMMERCIAL USE. TO MAINTAIN THIS ACCESSIBILITY, BANKSY RARELY CERTIFIES HIS STREET PAINTINGS AS OFFICIALLY HIS PROPERTY.

BUT FOR NOW, THE MURAL IS BEING SAFELY STORED BY LONDON ZOO.

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