The recent Banksy mural that captivated the residents of north London was found defaced on Wednesday morning, less than a week after the artwork unexpectedly showed up on the side of a building.
The artwork, which emerged over the weekend, creatively depicted swathes of green paint splattered on the side of a residential building on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park. A bare tree in front of the mural gave the artwork the illusion of foliage.
After residents woke up to find the mural on Sunday, speculation began over whether Banksy, the elusive and ever-mischievous street artist, was behind the artwork.
It was over the weekend when residents of the area stepped out of their houses to find a surprise waiting on the side of a building
Image credits: Banksy
Banksy eventually took the time out to confirm on social media that the mural could officially be credited to his name.
However, less than a week after the mural went up, the vibrant display was found strewn with white paint.
Local authorities said they are looking for ways to protect the iconic artist’s mural and are planning to have CCTV cameras installed in addition to the protective metal fence that currently surrounds the artwork.
The Banksy artwork was found defaced with white paint by Wednesday morning
“We very much want it to stay,” a spokesperson for the Islington Council told BBC.
"This is a really powerful piece, which highlights the vital role that trees play in our communities and in tackling the climate emergency. It's sad to see the piece has been defaced,” they added.
Since the mural’s unexpected entry into the streetscape of London's Hornsey Road, residents, and even outsiders, have traveled to Finsbury Park to marvel at the work of art. The attention the mural received pushed the Islington Council to take measures to protect the Banksy original.
Local officials said they are coming up with ways to protect the mural
Image credits: Banksy
“We moved quickly to put in place temporary measures to protect it and manage the crowds, such as installing fencing and having visits from park patrol officers,” the spokesperson said and added that they were discussing “future solutions” with the homeowner to ensure that everyone would still be able to “enjoy the artwork.”
A 35-year-old local resident, Matt McKenna, said he found the mural defaced while he was walking his dog on Wednesday morning.
The mural is a visual depiction of nature struggling against urbanization
Image credits: Banksy
"It is a real shame. It happened overnight," Matt told the outlet. "When it appeared on Sunday my partner saw it and said she quite liked it before everyone was talking about it."
"It has got lots of people talking and it is a bit of London which is a bit forgotten at times," he added.