A Banksy artwork on the shutters of London Zoo has been taken down for “safekeeping” to allow the attraction to fully make use of its entrance during the busy summer season.
The gorilla and other animals that appeared to have escaped from the London Zoo in Banksy’s most recent work have been taken into safekeeping.
The zoo said it removed the elusive street artist’s mural on its gate to preserve it and return its entrance to full operation after mobs of visitors came to see it over five days last week.
It was covered with a reproduction of the work and a sign using British slang that said: “Banksy woz ere.”
“We’re thrilled by the joy this artwork has already brought to so many, but primarily, we’re incredibly grateful to Banksy, for putting wildlife in the spotlight,” Kathryn England, the zoo’s chief operating officer, said on its website. “This has become a significant moment in our history that we’re keen to properly preserve.”
The work spraypainted with a stencil showed an ape holding up part of the roll-down gate, allowing birds to fly off and a sea lion to waddle away as three sets of eyes peered out from the darkness inside.
It was the final animal-themed work by the artist to pop up over nine consecutive days around London, and the fifth in series to be either stolen, defaced or moved to a secure place for protection.
A howling wolf, painted on a satellite dish to resemble a silhouette against a full moon, was stolen by masked men just hours after the artist confirmed it as his work on Instagram. Meanwhile, a weathered billboard depicting a stretching big cat was dismantled by a crew as onlookers booed.
A rhinoceros painted on a brick wall, appearing to mount a broken-down Nissan parked on the pavement, was defaced with graffiti, and the car was removed.
While there has been wide speculation about the meaning of the project, Banksy has reportedly said his intention was to lift the public’s spirit during a period when the news headlines have been bleak, as well as to highlight the human ability for creative play rather than destruction and negativity.
Video editor • Theo Farrant
