Banksy’s Valentine’s Day Mural Gets Taken Apart On Grounds Of ‘Public Safety’
To mark Valentine’s Day, street artist Banksy avoided the typical clichés of hearts and roses, opting to shine a spotlight on a bigger issue within relationships instead: domestic violence.
Much like his other works, Valentine’s Day Mascara popped up as a stenciled artwork in Margate, England, without anyone the wiser, until the elusive artist shared an image of the mural on his Instagram page.
The image portrays a 50s-style housewife who, at a quick glance, seems to be winking. However, on closer inspection, viewers will find that she’s nursing a black eye and missing tooth—a hint pointing to a violent partner behind the scenes.
Of course, less than 24 hours after it was confirmed this was a Banksy in Margate, someone has nicked the freezer. Of course. Thanet being Thanet all over. pic.twitter.com/4J7ynn0NKZ
— Tubbs McGuire (@tubbsmcguire) February 14, 2023
Presumably, in retaliation, the woman is depicted as shoving a person—perhaps the abusive spouse—into a real, discarded freezer on the ground. However, that freezer is now missing from the artwork, after local council workers removed it.
In a statement, the Thanet district council explained that although the mural was painted on privately-owned property, the freezer was deemed to be on public land, and had to be removed to ensure public safety.
“The fridge freezer is now in storage and will be returned once it has been made safe to the public. We will be contacting the owner of the property to discuss the options to preserve the artwork for the district,” it said.
Banksy’s Valentine’s Day Mascara - flytipped freezer removed by council. Jobsworths or part of the spectacle? pic.twitter.com/t4zAnmYUs8
— Anna Brown (@AnnaAnnakb) February 14, 2023
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at its toll-free number, 800-799-7232, or text “START” to 88788. If you live abroad, please check this list of helplines from around the world.
[via ARTnews and The Guardian, cover image via Banksy]
