Cleaners Paint Over Priceless Art 69
The Melbourne city council learned the hard way that one man's art is another man's crap on a wall that needs to be painted over. The council hired a cleanup crew to get rid of graffiti on Hosier Lane, a street renowned for its street art. While there, the crew got rid of the graffiti, as well as a piece by Banksy, who is regarded as one of the world's greatest street artists. From the article: "The reclusive Banksy ... painted several stencils in Melbourne during a 2003 visit. His satirical and distinctive art is often directed at anti-war, cultural, and anti-capitalist themes. Banksy in 2005 painted nine images on Israel's West Bank barrier, including a ladder going over the wall and an image of children breaking through to a tropical island. In 2008, a London wall bearing one of his stencils was said to have sold on eBay for almost $500,000."
it's != its (Score:4, Insightful)
a street renowned for it's street art
Look, it's bad enough seeing this in the comments constantly, without having it in the summary itself. Is it so difficult to just read your sentence to yourself -- "a street renowned for it is street art" -- and realize that it's not quite right?
Hrm. Bit of an overstatement, innit? (Score:2, Insightful)
FTFA: "In 2008, a London wall bearing one of his stencils was said to have sold on eBay for almost $500,000."
It's not actually priceless, then. Besides, the guy's still alive, and might even have the stencils, still.
The painter did his job. (Score:4, Insightful)
The person who ordered the graffiti removal did not.
define art? (Score:2, Insightful)
So a man with a stencil and spray paint make 'street art" and a stereotype with spray paint makes 'graffiti'?
Newsworthy (Score:3, Insightful)
I can totally see why this is newsworthy. I mean it's not [thisislondon.co.uk] like [bbc.co.uk] it's [bbc.co.uk] happened [thisisbristol.co.uk] before [timesonline.co.uk].
Re:I doubt Banksy would care (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:The painter did his job. (Score:3, Insightful)
Now slashdot will be on Conroy's blacklist (Score:4, Insightful)
You've discussed graffiti, which is a crime in Australia and material that discusses or promotes it are Refused Classification. Welcome to the blacklist ladies and gentlemen, with more to come.
Re:I doubt Banksy would care (Score:3, Insightful)
Waxing Toreador for a moment:
i like the idea that this sort of work is ephemeral. You have to be in a certain place at a certain time to experience. His work has to be found because it's not in a museum, gallery or Hot Topic. The disposable nature of his work is appropriate. i like these street artists who make life a bit more surreal and make the mundane (and ugly) funny or even meaningful.
Besides, we have cameras and websites to make him and his work immortal.