Sixth Banksy Animal Mural Spotted in London Before Being Taken Down by a Contractor to Prevent Theft
By Hannah Smith
August 10, 2024
A new Banksy artwork is being taken down by hired contractors just hours after it appeared on a billboard in London - and could end up in a skip.
The artwork, a black-and-white cat, is the anonymous British street artist's sixth animal mural to spring up in London over the last few days.
It follows a mountain goat, a pair of elephants, two pelicans, three monkeys and a wolf.
The cat mural was painted on a billboard in the London borough of Walthamstow, but was discovered to have been taken down on Wednesday morning.
A contractor working for the billboard company, who asked not to be named, told the Press Association that he had been called out to remove the artwork because it was "unauthorised".
"I was told to take it down and put it in a skip," he said. "I think it's a shame, it's a nice piece of art."
The contractor said he had been told that the artwork was going to be taken to a storage facility, but he did not know what would happen to it after that.
Banksy has not confirmed whether he is responsible for the new murals, but they bear all the hallmarks of his previous work.
The artist has become known for his satirical and often political street art, which has appeared in cities around the world.
The appearance of the new murals has fuelled speculation that Banksy may be planning a major exhibition in London, although this has not been confirmed.
Conclusion
The removal of the cat mural has sparked outrage among some Banksy fans, who have accused the billboard company of destroying a valuable piece of art.
However, others have argued that the company was right to remove the artwork, as it was unauthorized and could have been stolen.
The fate of the cat mural remains uncertain, but it is likely that it will end up in a private collection.
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