Banksy’s latest creation has sparked my curiosity… not because of what it depicts, but rather where it resides. Why? Because the owners of the ready-to-demoed building the work popped up on recently lost a court case involving a Banksy.
Back in 2015, Art Buff (a Banksy work depicting a woman observing an empty pedestal while wearing headphones) graced the exterior of a Folkestone, UK, building. The location was strategically chosen by the artist so that Art Buff would be the centerpiece of a local art festival; however, it did not last long. The Goddens, who owned the building, quickly chiseled the work from the wall and shipped it to New York to be sold (valued at $720,000). In the end, lawyers hired by the Creation Foundation, an art based charity in Kent (with financial backers), fought for the work to be returned to the people of Folkestone and won.
Now for the most recent story
The latest piece, depicting a workman chipping away one of the twelve stars on the European Union flag, calls out England on Brexit. The massive, three-story high, work is located in Dover — the ferry port that connects England with Calais, France. So, here is where this week’s new Banksy raises questions… Who owns the building that now holds the latest mural? You got it – the Goddens. Out of alllll the blank canvases Banksy had to choose from, he happens to choose a wall owned by the family who just lost their “almost-fortune”? (My eyebrows are raised). And yes, the Goddens are ready to sell and are looking to cash out at a whopping 1 million euros. Publicity stunt? Maybe since Bansky is a master of publicity. But that’s all we know right now…. I’ll be sure to keep an eye on this and post an update.