Is this a new Banksy painting in Liverpool city centre?
The image of a biplane leaving a trail of smoke across the wall of a car park in Rumford has appeared on the elusive stencil artist’s website since its discovery over the weekend – usually a sure sign of authentication.
One ‘fan’ with a can of red spray paint certainly thought so, daubing the words “BANKSY 4 ROBBO” across it in a swift act of sabotage.
The term refers to Banksy’s rival graffiti artist King Robbo and the pair’s notorious feud that played out along the banks of Camden, London (see video below).
The biplane is Liverpool’s second Banksy after the artist painted a giant rat on the wall of a derelict pub in Berry Street to celebrate the 2004 Liverpool Biennial. In 2010 the building was sold at auction for £114,000.
Discovering a new Banksy still holds a certain magic for many people across the UK, even though the one-time underground icon is now one of the most widely appreciated and highly-valued contemporary artists in the world. His work has been snapped up by Hollywood stars like Brad Pitt and in 2011 he was nominated for an Oscar himself for his documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop. Despite his fame, the world is still uncertain exactly who he is and what he looks like.
From the West Bank to New Orleans, Banksy’s artworks appear all over the world. He’s a gallery of our favourties.