The October 12, 2013 one is Cooper Union student activism to make it look like Peter Cooper. They added a confessor painting of the Cooper Union president in the next "window"<p><a href="http://studentactivism.net/2013/10/13/new-banksy-street-art-transformed-into-free-cooper-union-student-protest-propaganda/" rel="nofollow">http://studentactivism.net/2013/10/13/new-banksy-street-art-...</a>
This happens in London too, although usually it takes a little longer. Banky's "residence" in New York is clearly not being as appreciated by the local street artists as he was intending.
Bystanders beat the guy up after he vandalized it and then they tried their best to restore it: <a href="http://gothamist.com/2013/10/17/banksy_bed_stuy.php#photo-1" rel="nofollow">http://gothamist.com/2013/10/17/banksy_bed_stuy.php#photo-1</a>
I'm a huge fan of Banksy, but this article is so weird for me to read. Banksy's work is being called "art" and that it's being "vandalized" - but that's what Banksy's work is; it's vandalism.<p>Do people really think Banksy wants people out there removing chunks of walls or doors that he tags and putting them in museums or selling them to private owners for thousands of dollars?
In the eyes of the New York City Government what Banksy is doing is vandalism[1]:<p>"§ 10-117. Defacement of property, possession, sale and display of aerosol spray paint cans, [and] broad tipped markers and etching acid prohibited in certain instances."<p>Graffiti is a Sand Mandala[2], it is art and it is beautiful because of it's guaranteed impermanence. If Banksy's vandalism wasn't vandalized or taken down or painted over it wouldn't be as powerful as it is. It is a symbiotic relationship like a flower and a bee.<p>To learn about NYC graffiti history watch Style Wars[3] a 1982 documentary on the NYC scene.<p>[1]<a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/nograffiti/html/legislation.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.nyc.gov/html/nograffiti/html/legislation.html</a>
[2]<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_mandala" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_mandala</a>
[3]<a href="http://vimeo.com/14911708" rel="nofollow">http://vimeo.com/14911708</a>
the vandals who spray directly over it because it is a banksy are just butt hurt idiots, but it is interesting to see the cacophony of graffitti that springs up around his work, almost as if taggers think, "oh we can paint here".<p>no imaination in tagging, never has been never will be. its the equivalent of a dog pissing on a lamppost.
'Artist' sprays wall he does not own. Then some 'vandal' have boldness to destroy it. In one case the 'vandal' was owner of the building who cleaned up the mess :-)
At least walls are finally alive. We're being wall-painting cave-dwellers again. And that's a good thing, especially when NYC has become such a controlled environment.