The Valentine’s Day Mascara Banksy mural has been moved again and is now on show at Yamaha Music London, Yamaha’s flagship music store in Soho.
The piece was photographed by fifthwalltv videographer Doug Gillen who says he spotted it ‘completely by chance’ and at first thought it was a vinyl graphic.
Thanet resident Dave Mckenzie also spotted the Banksy when he visited the store to buy a new keyboard. He said: “I was quite surprised to see the Banksy on display there.”
The Banksy originally appeared on a property in Margate’s Park Place on February 13. The piece was then removed the following month, overseen by Red Eight Gallery which was called in by the artist owners of the property to deal with preservation and sale of the work.
The removal process cost £195,000.
It was taken to Dreamland and unveiled in June, with an announcement in August that the park would be the permanent home of the artwork following a decision to sell it by issuing shares.
Showpiece announced a ‘fractional ownership’ plan for the piece, which has been valued at £6 million, with 27,000 shares costing £120 each.
Last September the piece, which weighs some 3.8 tonnes, was on the move to be shown as one of the 110 works in the Art Of Banksy exhibition at Regent Street.
At that time Dreamland bosses said: “We anticipate that the artwork will return to Margate to take up its place in Dreamland again in early 2024.”
However, the art – which shows 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 – is now on show at the Yamaha store.
The mural’s theme resulted in a pledge to donate a six figure sum out of the sale price to Oasis Domestic Abuse Service which has operated in Thanet for 30 years and expanded to North Kent and Medway in recent years.
The funding for Oasis is earmarked to be used by the charity for preventative work aimed particularly at young people.
Oasis CEO Claire Williams said: “Oasis has not received any money from the shares sold so far, but we’re grateful for the awareness and conversations the mural has sparked around domestic abuse and the devastating impact it has in our community.
“We’ve been invited to the Yamaha Music event on 16th February, which we’re looking forward to and we very much hope will raise much-needed funds for our young people’s services.”
Yamaha Music London store manager Stephen Davies, said: “We are privileged to have “Valentine’s Day Mascara” on display to share with the wider community, its private owners love the fact that their art is on public display in a music location.
“Art can be controversial, sparking conversations that lead to positive changes in society. It is a powerful medium, articulating emotions and thoughts.
“We are highlighting the charity Oasis Domestic Abuse Services in Margate who work for women and children against domestic violence, which the composition of the piece created by Banksy, highlights. This charity was chosen by the owners of the wall in Margate and there will be opportunity to donate to this charity in store.”
Yamaha London says the exhibition of Banksy’s “Valentine’s Day Mascara” is open to the public and free to view from now until further notice. There will be an official unveiling on Friday 16 February with a ‘new collaboration’ due to be announced.
Julian Usher, from Red Eight Gallery, said: “The piece is currently at Yamaha Music London in Wardour Street and is available (free of any charge) for public to visit and see.
“It will remain there for the time being and then return to Dreamland. As to when, this has not been agreed but (is expected to be) end of Spring.”
A spokesperson for Dreamland said the park does not own the Banksy and has no say in where it is exhibited.
