Streams of people have been coming to see the artwork since it first appeared
Banksy has confirmed that he is behind a new artwork that appeared in north London on Sunday.
It shows green paint sprayed on a wall behind a cut-back tree to look like foliage, with a stencil of a person holding a pressure hose next to it.
Crowds have gathered to see the mural, with one local saying they were “proud” their street had been chosen.
“It feels like a personal message to us residents, we just feel so proud”, said Wanja Sellers, who lives along the street from the mural.
There were at least 30 people there to see the artwork at any one time, according to BBC Radio London reporter Anna O’Neill, since it first appeared on Hornsey Road, in Finsbury Park, on Sunday morning.
The wall mural has been painted to give the impression of tree foliage
It shows a “great arterial spray of green paint” across a white wall, accompanied by a “classic Banksy-style stencil”, according to James Peak, who created the BBC Radio 4 series The Banksy Story.
He says it probably would have been created using a pressure hose or fire extinguisher.
The colour of the green paint used matches that used by Islington Council for signs in the local area, which Mr Peak said demonstrated Banksy’s famous eye for detail.
“When you step back it looks like the tree is bursting to life, but in a noticeably fake and synthetic way.
“It’s spring now, and this tree should be bursting forth with leaves, but Banksy must have cycled past and thought how miserable it looks,” he said.
Before the artist confirmed it was his piece of work, Islington councillor Flora Williamson said it would be “incredible” to have a Banksy artwork “right in the middle of social housing and one of the poorest parts of the borough”.
“I think it adds intrigue and culture and brings the area to life”, she said.
Image source, James Peak/The Banksy Story
The colour used for the artwork is the same as that of the Islington Council signs, as seen in the foreground
Islington Council said its graffiti removal team is aware of the artwork and won’t remove it.
The council believes the cherry tree in the foreground of the artwork is around 40-50 years old and is in declining health, with decay and fungi damage.
It says it has been maintaining and pruning the tree for some time – both for safety, and to help prolong its lifespan – and will continue working to keep the tree alive.
The elusive artist usually confirms his work on his website and social media, and on Monday he posted images of the artwork on Instagram with no caption.
In his post, the starkly bare tree can also be seen with a plain white wall behind it – prior to creation of the mural.
Banksy is one of the world’s most famous artists, but his identity remains, officially at least, unknown.
The artist’s most recent known piece, a stop sign with three military drones on it, was stolen just hours after it had been confirmed as authentic in December last year.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Peak said that by incorporating a tree into the artwork, Banksy has “solved an emerging problem” of people trying to steal his work.
“I don’t think anyone is going to be able to nick this… how are you going to steal a tree?”
