A statue of Shakespeare with a Hamlet-inspired twist has replaced one of the Walled Off Hotel collection’s most recognisable pieces, David engulfed in a cloud of tear gas. Whether David has been sold or taken away for restoration is unclear. The Shakespeare statue has reportedly stood in the WOH offices for some time. Pictures of Shakespeare were published on Facebook on March 25 by Walled Off Hotel visitor Jesse Zuefle.
Above, the Shakespeare statue, photos by Jesse Zuefle. Below, David in a cloud of teargas, photo by R.A.
In a brilliant performance, an unknown poet in the style of John Cooper Clarke recites a poem on the theme “Gentrification is coming because there is a Banksy in Margate now”, accompanied by a guy in a wig on a distorted guitar. Apparently, the clip was filmed during an open mic session at a pub in Margate. The clip can be seen at https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp5WlIWP4e6/
The artwork appeared on the side of a derelict farmhouse in the seaside town of Herne Bay, only 20 km from Margate, where he did Valentine’s Day mascara a month ago. The demolition of the house, including the mural, can be interpreted in many ways.
The Ukrainian Post Office issued a postage stamp on 20 February featuring a Banksy mural depicting a boy defeating Putin in judo to mark the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion. On 27 February, Banksy confirmed the postage stamp on his Instagram.
The Valentine’s Day mascara mural appeared in Margate, 100 km east of London, on Tuesday morning, 14 February. The Guardian reported on the dismantling of the artwork the same day:
“A Banksy artwork that was dismantled by a council in Kent “on the grounds of safety” just hours after its unveiling has had its chest freezer returned. The mural, titled Valentine’s Day Mascara, appeared to highlight the issue of domestic violence. It incorporated a freezer, a broken garden chair, a blue crate and an empty beer bottle, which were all removed from the site on Tuesday.”
Why a domestic violence motive on Valentine’s Day? It could have something to do with the big street art exhibition Beyond the Streets at the Saatchi Gallery in London, which opened on 17 February and featured more than 50 of Banksy’s colleagues, among them Shepard Fairey and 3D. As we all know, advertising tycoon Charles Saatchi is the founder and owner of Saatchi Gallery, and Banksy’s views on the advertising industry are well known through his artwork and writings. In 2013, writer Nigella Lawson broke up with Charles Saatchi amidst well-publicised accusations of domestic violence.
Banksy unofficial 