Margate Banksy taken out of house wall by forklift truck ahead of …
The controversial Margate[1] Banksy has now been removed from the wall of a house, soon to be whisked away to its new home.
Contractors for Red Eight Gallery have been pictured using a forklift truck to remove the piece in Park Place today – the last step of an “intricate” process they have been working on for weeks.
The Banksy in Park Place, Margate, has been removed from the wall. Picture: Laura Jones
It involved propping the house up while the piece was cut out and removed, ahead of its relocation to Dreamland.
Julian Usher, chief executive of Red Eight Gallery which is dealing with the valuable work, spoke to KentOnline[2] when work started on March 13.
The Margate Banksy has now been separated from the home in Park Place. Picture: Laura Jones
“It will be in Dreamland for at least 12 months, but we are trying to keep it in there for three years,” he said.
“There has been a lot of interest in the work from many different parties.”
The Banksy, called Valentine’s Day Mascara, appeared on February 14 and depicted a woman who appeared to have pushed a man into a fridge freezer.
It will now be placed between two steel sheets and taken to a conservationist in Faversham[3], who will make it stable and safe. They will also design a display stand for the art.
Removal work is described as “very intricate and tricky but relatively simple for the experts” by the gallery CEO.
The work began on March 13 on the art in Margate. Picture: Laura Jones
The appearance of the Banksy piece sparked a lengthy saga, with hordes flocking to the unassuming residential street – before the freezer was taken away by Thanet District Council.[4]
It was then put back again, before being removed a second time by Red Eight Gallery[5].
It is also thought items placed alongside the work by the elusive artist were stolen[6].
The value of the piece can not be confirmed yet, but it is thought to be worth several million pounds.
The Margate Banksy in its former glory. Picture: Dan Bambridge-Higgins
Banksy recently struck in Kent again, painting on the side of a derelict house in Herne Bay[7], which was then demolished.
There was “heartbreak” from one man[8] who claimed he asked artist for two years to complete the work, only for it to be destroyed.
The whereabouts of the remains of the Herne Bay piece is still unknown.
References
- ^ Margate (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ KentOnline (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ Faversham (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ freezer was taken away by Thanet District Council. (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ removed a second time by Red Eight Gallery (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ items placed alongside the work by the elusive artist were stolen (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ on the side of a derelict house in Herne Bay (www.kentonline.co.uk)
- ^ “heartbreak” from one man (www.kentonline.co.uk)