2024-03-21 08:01:03
image copyrightLaura Garcia
picture explanation,
Banksy’s mural painted on a white wall next to my apartment in London
Article related information
- Reporter Carlos Serrano
- Reporter, BBC World Service, London
-
9 hours ago
Have you ever seen so many Londoners smiling?
Banksy, the world’s most famous street artist whose identity is hidden, seems to have viewed the white wall next to my apartment in London as a great canvas.
Since the mural appeared on the 17th (local time), many people have been flocking here. People look at me as if asking, ‘Can I go into the garden and take pictures?’
So I reply that I can take as many pictures as I want, as if this work was my own.
Actually, I didn’t even know Londoners were this talkative.
I was used to seeing Londoners concentrating on their work with serious faces on the subway, reluctant to make eye contact with each other in the elevator, or walking down the street with their heads down to avoid the rain. Suddenly, strangers flocked to me and started asking me questions. there is.
“Have you seen Banksy? How does it feel to have your own Banksy piece? What is the meaning of this mural? Will our presence here bother you? Will the rent for that apartment go up?”
Some are even bolder and ask me directly, “Are you Banksy?”
I am not saying yes, but I am also not denying it.
image copyrightGetty Images
picture explanation,
People flock to take pictures of the Banksy mural
Some people, with a mixture of kindness and awkwardness, hand their children $5 and make them run to me and say thank you for making good memories.
The thought that this Banksy’s work might cause the apartment rent to skyrocket crosses his mind, but he quickly refuses cash, telling him to buy candy at the store next to his apartment.
Someone with great business acumen even suggested that I list the apartment on the ‘Airbnb’ website, saying, “It’s a beautiful apartment decorated with Banksy’s works.”
image copyrightLaura Garcia
picture explanation,
Now that local authorities have installed a fence around the mural, I can be closer to it than anyone else in the world.
apples fall from cherry tree
No, I didn’t see Banksy. Actually, I wasn’t home when he painted this mural.
Since it happened so quickly on an early Sunday morning, I can take some comfort in the fact that even if I was at home, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.
When I got home following noon that day, people were already flocking to take pictures, make videos, and speculate regarding the work.
Some people also noted that this green mural reminded them of ‘Saint Patrick’s Day’ (March 17), which is represented by the color green.
picture explanation,
Green apples left under the tree by Banksy fans
It is also worth noting that it is the same green color used in the public housing in Islington, north London, where the mural is located.
On the 18th, Banksy posted several photos on Instagram, certifying that it was actually his work. But other than that, we can only guess.
The mysterious artist Banksy appears to have used a fire extinguisher here to spray paint on the cracked white wall.
The real tree in the apartment garden here is a cherry tree, and it is in poor condition and appears to be dead. For this reason, some people interpret that Banksy drew leaves with paint.
image copyrightGetty Images
picture explanation,
If you take a step back, you can see the artist’s intention in expressing the leaves of the tree.
So what is the existence of the girl (maybe a boy) drawn in the lower left corner of the picture? It appears to be holding an object that resembles a disinfectant spray. Does it contain a message regarding nature?
Meanwhile, the mural is evolving. Some people leave a few apples under the tree as if they had fallen from the tree. Banksy created the only cherry tree that produces apples.
As with all art, interpretation can be infinitely expanded if you combine the clues drawn on the mural and people’s reactions.
Meanwhile, on the 20th, white paint was found scattered on the mural. Did someone destroy it on purpose?
image copyrightCarlos Serrano
picture explanation,
White paint is sprayed on some parts of the mural.
image copyrightLaura Garcia
picture explanation,
I often express my opinion while looking at Banksy’s work in my apartment.
15 minutes of fame
My apartment has now become a tourist attraction.
When I tried to take a break while writing this article, people came up to me and handed me their cell phone and asked me to take a picture.
In less than an hour I was interviewing people from the UK, Japan, Germany and everyone else, from journalists to students.
An Australian man took a Polaroid photo and gave it to me, and he also communicated with the followers of a Mexican teenage girl who was live on TikTok. One Colombian woman said she would have already been selling fast food and beer if she were herself. One Norwegian woman, who had originally only planned to stay in London for eight hours, made it a priority on her schedule to come see the mural, she said.
picture explanation,
Apartment and wall taken in March 2023
What is art?
It’s been 6 months since I lived in this apartment, but yesterday I was able to talk to my neighbors for the first time. The man from Somalia said he was worried regarding his privacy as more people surrounded him. Thanks to the mural, he got to know his neighbors for the first time.
Currently I live like this. Meeting people from different countries, being congratulated as if I had contributed something, greeting people like I was a beauty pageant winner, and saying, “I’m not an expert, but I think…” “I give my opinion regarding the mural.
image copyrightGetty Images
Actually, I’m okay with it now, but I’m not sure I’ll be okay with my apartment being the next tourist destination following Big Ben and Buckingham Palace every weekend.
This mural appeared at the end of winter. It’s a time when the city of London is bursting with color once more and people are feeling good once more.
So for me, this mural is a refreshing start to spring. Thanks to a mysterious genius, a dying tree, a collapsing wall, and I were surrounded by good people.
And even though I am an immigrant, I feel like I truly belong to this community of trees.
Isn’t this what art is?
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