Suspected Banksy artwork in Suffolk partially removed over flood concerns
A piece of street art which may be the work of elusive artist Banksy has been removed over flooding concerns.
The artwork in Lowestoft's Nicholas Everitt Park, shows three children standing in a boat which appears to have been fashioned out of a piece of scrap metal.
Writing above the artwork, which appeared last week, says: “We’re all in the same boat.” Oulton Broad Parish Council said the metal part of the artwork has since been removed as it was "blocking the flow" of a drain.
"As most of you are aware, there has been some graffiti work done on the bridge over the Landspring Drain in Nicholas Everitt Park, last week," A Facebook statement from the council reads.
"We have removed that metal boat from the picture as it was blocking the flow of the Landspring Drain."
The possible Banksy features one child looking ahead as though out to sea as another child looks over their shoulder. A third child at the back of the boat appearing to be leaning over the side holding a bucket.
Pictures from Friday show a man in fluorescent overalls appearing to drag the metal 'boat' away.
Three other murals in Banksy's style have appeared in the last week in the East of England - another artwork has been spotted on a wall outside the former Lowestoft Electrical shop on London Road North, while Great Yarmouth and Gorleston residents have also snapped pictures of suspected Banksies.
Banksy fans will be keeping an eye on his Instagram account to see if he confirms these two pieces of art are indeed his work. Earlier this year, the artist raised more than £16 million for health projects with the auction of a painting offering an “image of hope”. Game Changer appeared at Southampton Hospital during the first wave of the pandemic. The anonymous graffiti artist auctioned the original canvas, with the reproduction of the work remaining in the hospital.
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The painting fetched £16.7 million, which is a world auction record for the artist, according to Christie’s. Proceeds from its sale will be used to support health organisations and charities which enhance the care and treatment provided by the NHS, the auction house said.
In March, groups in Reading expressed “huge disappointment” after a mural by Banksy on the side of a former prison was defaced with red paint. The artwork, entitled Create Escape, appeared on the red brick wall of Reading Prison on March 1 and showed an inmate escaping lockdown using a knotted spool of paper from a typewriter.
Pictures emerged showing that the piece had been defaced with red paint covering the typewriter, with the phrase “Team Robbo” below. This appears to be a reference to graffiti artist King Robbo, who was in a long-running feud with Banksy before his death in 2014. Their rivalry is said to have begun in 2009, when Banksy painted over one of King Robbo’s tags by Regent’s Canal in Camden, London.