A protective layer has been installed over part of the Banksy art work in Margate.
Resident Jack Murphy-Delo spotted the covering being put on the stencil work at Park Place last night (February 14).
The art has caused quite a stir since first appearing overnight on February 12/13.
The piece, titled Valentine’s Day Mascara, originally showed a woman with a swollen shut eye and missing tooth with a man’s legs poking out from a chest freezer, alongside an upturned chair and a beer bottle. It is understood to be a comment on domestic violence.
However, the work used a chest freezer with a jammed open lid as a prop and this was removed by Thanet council yesterday to be ‘made safe.’
Jack says he spotted the protective covering being put in place while out on his bike last night.
He said: “I cycled down to the scene where Banksy’s newest art piece was created in Margate to see what was happening.
“A protective layer was being installed over the art pieces and I was able to talk with one of the men doing it. They confirmed that they’re hoping the art piece is going to remain there for a number of weeks.
“They confirmed that they’re hoping to have the freezer back in its original position.”
Meanwhile, someone has decided to replace the freezer with a bin (again) this morning.
The protective covering, which is on the wall of a privately owned property, has not been carried out by the council.
Yesterday a council spokesperson said: ““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.”
The freezer is currently at a council site and it is understood that it will be returned to the Banksy site today.
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. The arts are worth huge sums of money.
Domestic violence – 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.
Seriously make this stop
Preserve the art work. its bloody vandalism.. get it painted over and get wanksy arrested for the crime everyone else who sprays on walls gets done for..
Who gets prosecuted for graffiti in Thanet? It’s all over the island and getting more and more widespread. Never seen anyone prosecuted for it 🤷🏻♂️
https://theisleofthanetnews.com/2021/08/02/former-councillor-ian-driver-found-guilty-of-seven-counts-of-criminal-damage/
Put the freezer back but don’y drop a cigarette end or sweet wrapper. How soon will the freezer be filled up. ?
What if you reversed the scene and had a man doing that to a woman ,there would uproar ,whether the effort to raise domestic violence man on woman,is what is being raised here,I think all forms of domestic violence is vile,why glamourize it for the sake of art
Why is the fridge the biggest topic of conversation? The piece is about domestic violence/abuse, surely that’s a more pressing discussion to be having?
Im not bothered about the freezer, more bothered about how Banksy gets away with vandalism, and doesnt get a fine for spraying up someones wall. its not art its a criminal offence
I suspect the whole thing has gone over your head somewhat.
No i get what you lot are banging o about, the message behind it, well allegedly behind it. im just not a fan of graffiti, and crap being littered everywhere, oh and people committing criminal acts that they get away with
No, you’ve missed his anti-establishment stance.
I’m anti-establishment too (I must be to listen to Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry) – but that doesn’t mean I don’t deserve to be punished if I do anything illegal.
I have not the time or crayons to respond in a way you may understand.
I’m obviously anti-YOUR establishment. Fine by me.
Isn’t it about time Banksy grew up, I mean how long has he been churning out this right-on twaddle?
The most ironic thing about this is how quickly TDC have taken action. Maybe he ought to paint on a few more walls to get the areas cleared?
Robin Gunningham ate my hamster.
Tarquin gonna Tarquin.
Have they smeared dog crap on it? Loads of it in Margate & if Emin has blessed it then it would be worth millions.
If the civilised world read the comments on the Banksy thread’s they could be forgiven for thinking Thanet was peopled by knuckle- dragging knuckle-headed slack jawed yokels, who instead of carrying mobile phones with them hoick a pitchfork over their shoulders when they leave their mud huts.
Mumbling bumbling philistines.
Amen. Three articles I’ve just read comments on, all different topics and it’s the same idiots talking absolute ill informed nonsense.
No, you’ve missed his anti-establishment stance.
Robin Gunningham honked my honk.
There has been a dumped fridge in the small parking area opposite the old sportsman pub in Cliffsend for 5 weeks now, hopefully TDC’s campaign on dumped domestic appliances will reach it soon 😀