Banksy confirms artwork on London building
Banksy has confirmed a new mural which recently surfaced on the side of a building in London is his.
The artwork painted behind a cut-back mature tree to look like foliage, with a stencil of a person holding a pressure hose next to it which you can view below, appeared on Finsbury Park’s Hornsey Road yesterday (March 17).
The elusive artist did not confirm the artwork was his initially but James Peak, who created the BBC Radio 4 series The Banksy Story, said it was.
He told BBC News: “To my mind it looks like a dead cert. But as ever with Banksy – you never quite know, until he fesses up by posting it on his website.”
Now, Banksy has confirmed that he was responsible for the mural on Instagram after posting an image of the tree before he painted the artwork.
He added: “What the heck did they do to that poor tree.”
Islington councillor Flora Williamson also previously spotted the artwork whilst out canvassing in her borough.
She wrote on X: “By far the most exciting thing to happen on today’s canvass session on Hornsey Road was seeing that Banksy had come to Tollington over night. Lots of local interest – I’m a fan of it.”
But by far the most exciting thing to happen on todays canvass session on hornsey road was seeing that Banksy had come to Tollington over night. Lots of local interest – I’m a fan of it. pic.twitter.com/LK3V63VQaM
— Flora Williamson (@Flo_williamson) March 17, 2024
One local resident also praised the mural, adding: “Proud new caretakers of an apparent new #Banksy piece in Finsbury Park… Woke up this morning to it on the side of flat. You can just about see us smiling proudly on our balcony.”
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has since hailed the mural and took to Instagram to post an image of himself next to the artwork.
He added: “Banksy has come to Islington! What wonderful artwork, proving there is hope for our natural world everywhere.”
Last year, Banksy unveiled a new anti-war artwork in Peckham, South London, featuring a ‘STOP’ traffic sign emblazoned with war aircraft which later resulted in two men being arrested over the apparent theft of the artwork.
Banksy also created seven new murals in various locations across Ukraine, which had been badly impacted by the Russian invasion.
Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that the elusive artist could be forced to reveal his real name if a legal tussle over the authenticity of one of his prints winds up in court.
Two art collectors are taking legal action against the secretive artist’s company Pest Control, saying that the organisation has refused to confirm the authenticity of the piece Monkey Queen, in which a jewelled primate wears a royal crown against a red, white and blue backdrop.
Nicky Katz and Ray Howse claim that they have pursued Pest Control for three years to secure the official confirmation that the piece was made by Banksy, without which its value would be substantially undermined.
If the dispute were to make it to court, the artist could be forced to disclose his real identity.
Elsewhere, Banksy seemingly revealed his real name in a newly unearthed interview from 2003.
The post Banksy confirms artwork on London building appeared first on NME.
Damian Jones
NME
