Thanet council has removed a chest freezer which was used to form part of the Banksy ‘Valentine’s Day Mascara’ artwork in Margate.
The art, commenting on domestic violence, appeared yesterday morning (February 13) and was confirmed as a Banksy original on the artist’s Instagram today.
Removing the freezer breaks the illusion of the 50’s style housewife, who has a swollen eye and missing tooth, pushing the man inside.
The painting is in Park Place (rear of Grosvenor Place, near Margate fire station),.
It was proving a draw for curious residents this morning who went to see the work and artist Pete Brown who has been capturing the scene on canvas. The removal of the ‘dumped’ freezer was on health and safety grounds.
Banksy’s stencils feature striking and, often darkly humorous, images occasionally combined with slogans. The message is usually anti-war, anti-capitalist or anti-establishment.
He displays his art on publicly visible surfaces such as walls and self-built physical prop pieces. His work has appeared at locations world-wide.
Furious county councillor Barry Lewis, who represents Margate, said: “It’s a disgrace. This brought international acclaim to Margate and within hours Thanet council has destroyed a valuable asset to the town. The council leader should resign.”
Update: A Thanet council spokesperson said: “We are aware that the graffiti artist known as Banksy has confirmed that the mural that has appeared recently in Margate is his.
“The graffiti is situated on a wall of a privately owned property. A fridge freezer which is believed to have been part of the installation has been removed by council operatives on the grounds of safety as it was on public land.
“The fridge freezer is now in storage and will be returned once it has been made safe to the public. We will be contacting the owner of the property to discuss the options to preserve the artwork for the district.”
Don’t suffer in silence – get help
Find help information from Oasis Domestic Abuse service at http://www.oasisdaservice.org/get-help-now and click the ‘exit now’ button to erase all traces from your Internet history.
Call Kent Domestic Abuse Services Victim Support on 0808 168 9276
The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is run by Refuge and offers free, confidential support 24 hours a day to victims and those who are worried about friends and loved ones. Telephone: 0808 2000 247
The Men’s Advice Line is a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic abuse and those supporting them.
Call 0808 801 0327.
Margate wall painting confirmed as piece by street artist Banksy
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