Banksy’s Brexit Mural Destroyed After Building Demolished
A striking mural by the renowned street artist Banksy, valued at over $1.2 million, has been lost following the demolition of the building it adorned in Dover, England. Created in 2017, a year after the UK voted to leave the European Union, the artwork depicted a worker removing a star from the EU flag. This piece quickly became a symbolic landmark in Dover, a key entry point to the EU.
The mural first vanished in 2019, covered overnight in white paint, sparking widespread attention. Now, the building’s demolition, part of a larger redevelopment project named “The Bench,” has further erased any remnants of Banksy’s work. This new project aims to revitalize the area with cultural, community, and residential spaces.
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Banksy’s comment in 2019: Oh.
I had planned that on the day of Brexit I was going to change the piece in Dover to this..
But seems they’ve painted over it.
Nevermind. I guess a big white flag says it just as well.
Dover City Council, faced with high conservation costs and technical challenges, decided against preserving the mural.
However, DDS Demolition, the company overseeing the building’s removal, is exploring ways to salvage any remaining pieces of the artwork. Despite being painted over and the wall’s deteriorating condition, the company has managed to extract parts of the mural, including stars and a section of the figure with a ladder.
If successful, any salvaged pieces will belong to DDS Demolition, as they are bearing the conservation costs. The company expressed its intent to preserve the artwork for community appreciation.
Banksy, known for his anonymity and evocative street art, has not commented on the mural’s destruction. His works, often created in public spaces, are susceptible to theft, damage, and challenges in preservation. This incident echoes past losses, such as the destruction of his “Spy Booth” mural in 2016 and the removal of a freezer from his Margate artwork earlier this year.
In a characteristic Banksy twist, one of his pieces was famously shredded moments after being auctioned for $1.4 million in 2018, emphasizing the fleeting nature of his art and its complex relationship with the commercial art world.
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