Staff replaced stencil art of gorilla helping animals to escape with reproduction to preserve ‘significant moment’ for zoo
Zoo, the mural showed a powerful gorilla lifting up the metal barrier and creating a dark hole just big enough for other animals to use to make a speedy getaway.
Now, Banksy’s ninth and final artwork in his animal-themed London series has itself escaped, removed in an attempt by the 196-year-old zoo to “properly preserve” a “significant moment” in its history. The zoo previously warned visitors on social media that it was planning to remove the artwork from public display on Friday evening “for its safekeeping and to make full use of our entrance during the busy summer period”, informing people: “We’re still working on exactly what we’re going to do with .”
It has replaced the work with a replica and a nearby sign that reads “Banksy woz ere” in the hope of preventing crowding at its entrance by fans of the anonymous artist, who have been appearing in droves after the work was unveiled on Tuesday.
She added: “We’re thrilled by the joy this artwork has already brought to so many, but primarily, we’re incredibly grateful to Banksy, for putting wildlife in the spotlight.”Until Friday evening, zoo officials had used a Perspex cover to “protect it from the glare of the sun”.The Metropolitan police were called to reports of a theft after the fourth piece, depicting a howling wolf on a satellite dish, wasby three men who said they were hired to take it down for safety reasons.
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