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Banksy’s ‘One Nation Under CCTV’, in Newman Street; inset: detail of the work |
One council under fire as Banksy’s art faces obliteration
Dame Joan Bakewell brands planning chiefs ‘Philistines’ over bid to remove graffiti mural
A STRIKING mural by Banksy is to be obliterated after planning chiefs ruled it should be treated in the same way as anti-social graffiti.
Westminster City Council refused to follow other local authorities, which have protected the guerilla artist’s work, and have ordered that the “One Nation Under CCTV” painting in Newman Street must go.
Dame Joan Bakewell, a self-confessed art lover, last night (Thursday) was leading critics of the move with some sharp words for the council.
“It is a tragedy and I think the council are being Philistines.
“It’s happened to greater artists, most notably Leonardo Da Vinci, but there is a conflict over whether Banksy is art, which is exactly the game he is playing. Westminster Council have fallen on that side of the line but I think if it’s on a wall and it looks good, don’t get rid of it. It’s very upsetting.” The mural of a boy being watched by a security guard was stencilled above a Post Office depot behind Oxford Street six months ago. Other councils in London have made efforts to protect Banskys in their borough: Camden fixed a glass shield over a sketch of a rat on the side of its Town Hall and enquired about taking out insurance, while Islington chose to repaint one of his works when it was showing wear and tear.
But at a meeting of Westminster Council’s planning committee last Thursday night, councillors swung the other way over the Newman Street painting.
Councillors Robert Davis, Susie Burbridge, Tim Mitchell and voted for the removal of the mural, with David Boothroyd casting the only vote opposed to the motion.
Conservative councillor Robert Davis, deputy leader and planning chairman, warned there would be no concessions to celebrity spray-can artists, regardless of how popular their work or how much it is potentially worth on the art market.
He said: “I take the view that this is graffiti and if you condone this then what is the difference between this and all the other graffiti you see scrawled across the city?
“If you condone this then you condone graffiti all over London.”
The application to retain the mural was made by property investment company Searchgrade Ltd – which is adamant they own it.
They made the application following an order from the council to remove it.
The council notice said the work was a “blight on the local environment and detrimental to the amenity of the area”.
But at the meeting last Thursday, Royal Mail also claimed they owned it, and said they are “watching the situation very closely”.
Searchgrade director Daniel Parnes only learned of the decision on being told by the West End Extra.
Mr Parnes said it was “disappointing” and that his company would be mounting an appeal.
Ironically, Banksy sprayed another Searchgrade property in Old Street last year, but it was painted over by another artist before they had a chance to sell it.
Mr Parnes said: “ We didn’t ask Banksy to pick our wall and we don’t think we should have to pay for its removal.
“Actually we liked the piece and so did our tenants.
“If we really needed the money, there would be a big hole in the wall, but we don’t plan on selling it. If Banksy does ring me up I’ll tell him to take it up with Westminster.”
Chris Howard, who lives round the corner in Gresse Street, said: “Most people around here are divided on the artistic merit of it, but one thing’s for sure – they strongly want it to stay because it brings up property prices. It’s as simple as that.”
In April, under the veil of darkness, the so-called “guerilla artist” managed to defy the watching CCTV and security fence in Newman Street to erect three storeys of scaffolding allowing him to paint the mural. |
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