Robyn Walford
A new ‘Banksy’-esque artwork has appeared on Ilkeston Road, Radford and has since been defaced. Whilst it is still unconfirmed as to whether the painting is an original of the street artist or not, it is causing a stir among Nottingham residents.
The image depicts a young girl using a bicycle wheel as a hula hoop behind a broken physical bike with a wheel missing.
The painting was defaced with a tag of some kind in white spray paint
Residents have suggested that it may have a link to the prominent cycling community in Nottingham and the Raleigh bicycle company that opened in the city in 1887.
The council installed a temporary cover over the piece to preserve it in case it is a Banksy original. However, just moments later, the painting was defaced with a tag of some kind in white spray paint.
The owner of the beauty salon where the artwork is told the BBC they saw a van with “blacked out windows” appear as the piece was created on Tuesday evening. He has “pretended like he had broken down, but he was there for at least two hours”.
Although Kaur, the salon owner, initially admitted to not knowing of the street artist, after learning who Banksy was, she told Nottinghamshire Live that it would be “magical” if it was an original of theirs.
Local authorities have asked individuals to be careful when viewing
Unfortunately, art curator, Tom Godfrey told Nottinghamshire Live that he had “strong doubts [as] it lacks the sharpness and execution of other works of Banksy. It also lacks the wit and socio-political nuance that you often find in his public works.”
Usually quick to claim works of their own, it adds another layer of suspicion as to whether the artwork is an original or not.
Although this has caused great excitement among residents, local authorities have asked individuals to be careful when viewing and avoid large gatherings due to the ongoing pandemic.
Robyn Walford
Featured image courtesy of Phoebe Raine. No changes were made to this image.
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