Over the weekend, a new artwork appeared on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park, north London, and it has been confirmed that the piece is the work of Banksy. The mural shows green paint sprayed on a wall behind a cut-back tree to look like foliage, with a stencil of a person holding a pressure hose next to it. The use of green paint also matches that used by Islington Council for signs in the area, demonstrating the artist’s famous eye for detail.
Crowds have gathered to see the mural, with one local saying they were “proud” their street had been chosen, while Islington councillor Flora Williamson stated that she believed the artwork added “intrigue and culture” to the area. The council’s graffiti removal team is aware of the artwork and has decided not to remove it. Despite being one of the world’s most famous artists, Banksy’s identity remains, officially at least, unknown.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, James Peak, the creator of The Banksy Story, said that by incorporating a tree into the artwork, the elusive artist has “solved an emerging problem” of people trying to steal his work. “I don’t think anyone is going to be able to nick this… how are you going to steal a tree?” he asked.
Banksy’s most recent known piece, a stop sign with three military drones on it, was stolen just hours after it had been confirmed as authentic in December last year. Two men were re-bailed for theft in February, with officers still trying to track down the artwork, which was taken from a south London street
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More