The zoo has stated that the sculpture, which depicted a gorilla, has been taken for “safekeeping” and that it has been replaced with a duplicate of the work as well as a sign that reads, “Banksy woz ere.”
According to the London Zoo, a Banksy artwork has been removed for “safekeeping” purposes.
The mural was the ninth and final work in a series of animal-themed pieces that the elusive artist painted and displayed throughout the city over the course of nine days.
A piece of artwork displayed at the zoo featured a gorilla holding up a portion of a roll-down shutter, which allowed birds and a sea lion to exit the enclosure.
As a result of the large number of people who came to see the Banksy artwork over the course of five days last week, the London Zoo decided to remove it on Friday evening in order to preserve it and restore the zoo’s entrance to its normal operation.
The original artwork was replaced with a reproduction of the piece, along with a placard that read, “Banksy was near.”
The zoo’s chief operating officer, Kathryn England, stated that she was “thrilled by the joy that this artwork has already brought to so many people, but most importantly, we are extremely grateful to Banksy for putting wildlife in the spotlight.”
“This has become a significant moment in our history that we’re keen to properly preserve.”
Banksy unveils artwork at London Zoo13 August: Banksy unveils artwork at London Zoo
The zoo shielded the mural while it was on display by using a transparent plastic shield and security personnel.
Currently, there has been no announcement made regarding the artwork’s intended use.
Some people have speculated that the mural that was spray-painted is an “anti-zoo message,” while others have called it a “tribute to London Zoo.” The significance of the painting has been the subject of a variety of interpretations.
Some people have suggested that the artwork is a play on guerilla art or a remark on the role that zoos play, according to the zoo, which stated that it has spurred talks that were thought-provoking.
He loved the idea that the last painting in the series would have been the discovery that all of those other animals spotted around London had originated from the zoo, according to Jasper Tordoff, who is a specialist on Banksy and works for MyArtBroker.
Bansky has recently produced artwork with a variety of animals, including a goat, elephants, monkeys, a wolf, pelicans, a cat, piranhas, and a rhinoceros.
At the very least, the artwork from the zoo is the fifth piece in the series to be either stolen, vandalised, or relocated to a safe location for the purpose of protection.
Several hours after the artist acknowledged that it was his work, masked individuals took a photograph of a howling wolf that had been painted on a satellite dish to make it appear as though it was silhouetted against a full moon.
After receiving jeers from onlookers, men claiming to be contractors destroyed an old billboard with a large cat extending out. The billboard featured the cat stretching out.
While this was going on, a rhinoceros that had been painted on a brick wall and appeared to be mounting a broken-down car was tagged with graffiti, and the car was towed away.
The City of London removed the piranha artwork from a police box and promised to move it eventually to a public area.