For some time now, I've been meaning to share photographs of a certain part of a certain wall in my neighborhood.
This painting by a well know artist was created at least a year ago, and for many months kept its own low profile, attracting attention from folks who could guess its source. No one seemed to bother the lad with the hammer.
Then, a few months ago, a protective plexiglass shield was installed over the painting to protect it from alteration. The expense for this shield was funded by the neighborhood shop Zabar's. Zabar's also accepts contributions from the public.
Since the shield's appearance, graffiti has been scrawled across the shield, and then removed. Currently, some tiny stickers appear on the shield, and perhaps resist removal.
Thank you all for your visiting and commenting on my holiday post. It was a pleasure to share these happy days.
Hello! In your neighbourhood obviously live tolerant people... I think that the protection of the grafitti was the reason for someone trying to paint upon it... We have lots of grafitti round about the city, some of them are really very good ones!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice new week!:)
Rossichka, thanks for your visit. I would say that my neighborhood has a variety of folks living and working here. It's a pretty busy place day and night!
Deletexo
Banksy! What a treat.
ReplyDeleteHe picked a perfect site to embellish. xo
DeleteExactly the same thing happened here where I live. We have a Banksy down on the seafront. The council covered it with plexiglass to protect it. This has been tagged so much and every time it is removed it damages the plexiglass. Then as it's by the sea there is all the wear and tear from the elements, shingle from the beach during storms etc. you can hardly see it now! I think the tagging and graffiti over it is as a protest for doing something so alien to graffiti, treating it as a work of art takes it away from the graffiti community.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to hear that similar cycles have occured near you.
DeleteI imagine that Zabar's signage urging folks to help preserve and important artwork might seem like waving a red flag to some.
Wonderful to have a Banksy in the neighbourhood but I do think covering seems a shame. It somehow detracts from the graffiti
ReplyDeleteYes and yes, Gina. xo
DeleteIt's a dilemma, isn't it? One would want to protect something so interesting and clever, but doing so undermines its own essential nature.
ReplyDeleteMisi, it is a dilemma.
DeleteThe little chap is a very small boy. His wall is on the side of a very large discount shoe store, and also on the route of a crosstown bus. When the boy first appeared, I loved the idea of bus passengers, particularly children, looking out the window and spying the painting. And then looking for him again on their next journey. A bit of quirky urban sweetness.
xo
Who is this Misi? Please forgive me, Mise. xo
DeleteHow fascinating, but also how poignant that the boy who was once free is sealed and under attack. Isn't interesting that taking him into care has proved provocative to some.
ReplyDeleteLooks cold in your city on the news today, Frances, I hope you are keeping warm. Cx
Chris, I agree with you about the little fellow with the hammer.
DeleteAnd, oh yes, it is very cold today. We have a nor'easter storm moving up the east coast of the States and it's pretty grim...cold, intense wind, and rain. I count my blessings that I've got the day off!
xo
When I first saw this post I thought the figure might have been done by Kara Walker. I'm not that familiar with Banksy's art, although I have heard about him. Thank you for photographing this for us. You see so many interesting things in your city.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carol.
DeleteInteresting and a great graffiti...we don´t have thing´s like that in our little village here on the countryside hi hi!
ReplyDeleteHave great week Frances and I´m so happy for your sweet comment...
Warmly,
Titti
Thank you, dear Titti. It's always a great pleasure to visit your beautiful island.
Deletexo
What a witty picture! Well worth protecting!
ReplyDeleteVicki, he chooses his sites carefully and is a very talented artist. Hoping you took a look at his web site for more examples.
ReplyDeletexo
He gets about that Banksy doesn't he? I wonder if anyone saw him at work?
ReplyDeleteVal, I don't know how quickly he works, but this wall is on a busy crosstown street with constant round-the-clock traffic, including buses.
Deletexo
You mention Zabar, which is around the corner from where we stay while in NYC – I hope that next time we come we can see this painting, as it must be close by. I also read a couple of your comments on Friko’s blog where you say that you may go back to England again next year. I love England too and wish I would go back there. So, you have decided to keep going back to England instead of trying new countries? I thought you had mentioned the Far East to me once?
ReplyDeleteI promise to show you this charming lad with the hammer when you all are next in New York.
DeleteUntil I do find myself with travel time that is limited only by funding, not by employer designated time, I find it so easy to return to the UK, a place that I do love.
(Yes, my wings would wish to spread, as yours have.)
xo
Ooh, it's a bit special isn't it! Thank you so much for sharing this Frances :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Annie.
DeleteI am beginning to fall behind with lots of my Christmas activities. I made several trips to my neighborhood Post Office today, and now think all my gifts have been posted.
Baking awaits. As does posting of quite a few photographs I've taken around town.
xo
There are people who simply cannot resist defacing something which gives lots of people pleasure. For the life of me I cannot understand this urge.
ReplyDeleteIt’s such a fun graffito. Leave it alone, I say!
I like to think that there might be another of this artist's paintings somewhere around town.
Deletexo