The artist’s subversive work draws crowds and criminals alike, and owning an original is fraught with logistical problems
The Banksy rhino mounting a car, in Charlton, London, on August 12. Later the car was removed but was then replaced with a skip.The Banksy rhino mounting a car, in Charlton, London, on August 12. Later the car was removed but was then replaced with a skip.making off with a ladder and a satellite dish, newly decorated by Banksy, made one thing clear: people want Banksy’s art and believe it is extremely valuable.
The works, though often playfully intended, draw crowds as well as criminals and can incur costs. Two disgruntled landlords spoke out in 2021 when Banksy sprayed a large herring gull on to the side of a Suffolk house they let to tenants. Garry and Gokean Coutts claimed that protecting the bird and repairing vandalism would cost them nearly £40,000 a year. Removal, alternatively, would involve spending more than £200,000, they said.
The works also lose value if a part goes missing, but the process can be entertaining. The Nissan in Charlton has now been replaced by a branded skip belonging to a firm next door, while the rhino itself has been tagged with more illicit graffiti – a dollar sign. A spokesperson for t he Royal Borough of Greenwich, the local authority, said: “It’s a real shame that a mindless vandal has defaced the mural, which has already drawn visitors and brought so much joy to many.
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