A piece of art by Banksy that showed an ape has been taken down from London Zoo for “safekeeping.” After being a popular draw for a long time, the piece has been replaced with a copy of the original art. A funny sign next to the copy says, “Banksy woz ere,” a playful nod to the style of the mysterious street artist.
The gorilla-themed piece of art had been on display at the zoo for years, drawing in tourists with its mysterious history and the kind of sexy content that is typical of Banksy’s work. The original piece was taken away because of worries about how to keep it safe and how much it might be worth. The zoo’s management thought it was important to keep the original from getting damaged or stolen since Banksy’s art is becoming more well-known around the world and selling for a lot of money at auctions.
Protecting art with a wink—London Zoo replaces Banksy’s piece with a clever nod to the elusive artist.
Banksy, who is known for creating highly charged street art under an alias, made the gorilla piece as a comment on animals being kept in zoos and how they are treated. His work often has political or social messages, and this piece was no different. It became an important part of the zoo’s environment, combining art with nature and making people think about the morality of keeping animals in cages.
Some art lovers who made the trip to London Zoo just to see the Banksy piece might be upset that the original piece has been replaced with a copy. But the people in charge of the zoo have taken steps to make sure that the spirit of the art is kept. The “Banksy woz ere” sign is a smart addition that keeps with the sarcastic tone of the artist’s work while telling people of where the piece came from and how Banksy has changed modern art.
Banksy’s gorilla artwork gets a new home—London Zoo preserves the original for safekeeping.
The choice to take down the art also shows a growing trend of protecting important street art. Art collectors and art traders really want Banksy’s works, which he often does in public places without permission. Because of this, there are more efforts than ever to protect and keep his works alive. Sometimes, they are taken from where they were originally found and sold for a lot of money. In this case, London Zoo decided to keep the piece of art in its collection, but in a different format, so that the public could still see it and its worth would be protected.
People are talking about what role street art should play in public places and how hard it is to keep it up. By its very nature, street art is often temporary and can be damaged by weather or people. Banksy’s works, in particular, question traditional ideas of who owns art and how it should be shown because they are often put up in places where they won’t last. The London Zoo’s choice shows how hard it is to keep cultural heritage safe while also letting street art do what it was meant to do.
London Zoo swaps Banksy’s original gorilla art with a replica, but keeps the cheeky spirit alive with a ‘Banksy woz ere’ sign.
In conclusion, London Zoo’s decision to take down the original Banksy gorilla painting is a big step towards saving a valuable modern work of art. The original has been safely kept, but the zoo’s creative replacement makes sure that people can still get a sense of Banksy’s work. The “Banksy woz ere” sign is a perfect tribute to the artist’s work because it combines humour with the important job of keeping art alive.