New Banksy confirmed in Hastings
Mysterious graffiti excites art fans
- posted: Wed 25/08/2010 at 11:37
- comments: 17
- category: News
- credits: Stuart Huggett
- Related listings
3pm, Tue. 'Disappointed' council spokeswoman said, 'We've coated with a polycarbon coating which won't smash and is cleanable' in response to alterations by Team Robbo. Please can one local paper use our 'Robbed the Bank' headline.
Weekend, Banksy art defaced. Pictures to follow (now up).
4pm, Fri. Council put protective covering over new Banksy graffiti.
11am, Thurs. Council announce graffiti art not to be removed.
10am, Thurs. New images added.
5.20pm, Weds. Banksy's PR people have confirmed the piece is genuine
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A new piece of graffiti, apparently painted by celebrated artist Banksy, has appeared in Hastings.
The sandcastle mural turned up (probably last weekend), appropriately, on the beach below St Leonards Parish Church - co-incidentally in time for the start of Hastings and Rother's Coastal Currents arts festival.
Street art message boards are currently debating the authenticity of the piece. One point in favour of it being a genuine Banksy is that his friend Ben Eine - famed in his own right for his distinctive shop-shutter alphabet series of artworks - was apparently celebrating his 40th birthday in Hastings this weekend. Eine's own artwork can be seen on shutters throughout the town, as well as cities including Brighton, London and Newcastle, and other sites worldwide.
Banksy fans are advised to head down to the promenade as soon as possible to view the contentious artwork, as Hastings Borough Council's graffiti cleaning team are rumoured to be in the area and closing in...
(Our thanks to Karl Beaney of Beaneys Design and Darren Rapley for the use of their photos).
Latest: Council to keep Banksy art
Councillor Jay Kramer, deputy leader of Hastings Borough Council, said: "I think this is great! I know that we have a zero tolerance policy on graffiti, and that is absolutely right. However, we have to be flexible so on this occasion I have agreed that Banksy can be an exception to our rule, and can stay. Hastings has a reputation for its art, its edginess, and for being a bit bohemian. We have some great home-grown talent here in Hastings, and it's fantastic that an artist like Banksy, with his international reputation, has recognised that Hastings is worth visiting. And how appropriate that it has appeared at the start of our Coastal Currents Arts Festival."
Comments
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alex chapman
Sun 14/11/2010 at 19:10All Art is better than No Art
A great addition to my local beach and I do not really care who did it!
And I would like to thank whoever spent his time, for doing so!
Andy O'Leary
Wed 01/09/2010 at 14:08So whats next is he aloud to street drink too and shoplift!!! Where does it end
Keith Hehir-Lynch
Thu 26/08/2010 at 15:22Hastings council traditionally infer that ANYTHING good comes through them or via them, St Leonards on Sea I'm proud to say and thanks mostly to the artist community has promoted St Leonards and has played a big part in its "stylised urbanism" There is a distinct Identity of St Leonards and it/they present the new.
Hastings still has that old Victorian hat on, and refuses to it throw away, Kay is right to make sure that the signpost for art is pointing St Leonards way Eine and Banksy have it right and knew that already.
Divisionalisation and Ghettoising is proven not to work, we all have to be careful not to turn pride in an area into tribalism as many parts of London has become no go ghetto tribal areas.
Kay Avery-Stallion
Thu 26/08/2010 at 13:12hi there, i'm sorry you see me as being "tribal and divisive", that's not what i mean -i think you're reading the wrong tone into this... it's about building pride in our own area with it's own identity as a creative hub with stunning regency architecture and it's own vibe that is very different to hastings - and in any case, from a simple geographical point of view - if you say the banksy is in hastings, most people will be walking in the wrong direction to find it. if you say st leonards, then people know that they can find it somewhere between the pier and bulverhythe - i am not starting any kind of fight, but there is a difference and a good one : )
Adam Mc Naught-Davis
Thu 26/08/2010 at 12:42Wow, even my mum's gone down to see it... it must be big news.
Luke M
Thu 26/08/2010 at 12:36"the difference is HUGE to those artists and designers living and working here"
Is it?! I've never heard such a thing. I live in St Leonards, and Hastings & St Leonards is all the same to me to be honest. Yes, I recognise differences across the town (aloof Old Town, edgy St Leonards etc) but I don't see there's much to be gained from being tribal about it. The town should stick together.
Adam Mc Naught-Davis
Thu 26/08/2010 at 12:06Yep, I grew up in Hastings - feeling pretty much the same way.
Stuart Huggett
Thu 26/08/2010 at 12:02I grew up in St Leonards, and always felt it was part of 'Hastings and St Leonards' - Hastings' other half maybe! The galleries, design shops and creative community you refer to has only really got established over the past decade, and I'm not sure treating St Leonards as an independent village is a very progressive thing to do - It all comes under the same local authority.
Kay Avery-Stallion
Thu 26/08/2010 at 11:54-have just been out walking the hound in the rain and spied a man filming it from the beach with a giant video camera- perhaps it will be on the news later?
Kay Avery-Stallion
Thu 26/08/2010 at 11:52sorry i spelt it's incorrectly in the sentence about galleries - whoops! i think it should have been its' galleries x
Kay Avery-Stallion
Thu 26/08/2010 at 11:49I love this piece, and it's right near where i live, in ST LEONARDS ON SEA!!!! Not Hastings - I wish more people would understand the difference is HUGE to those artists and designers living and working here. St Leonards, with it's galleries, design shops and huge creative community have specifically chosen to live in St Leonards and it's a village in it's own right! Please stop reporting it as part of Hastings. We have our own identity.
Stuart Huggett
Wed 25/08/2010 at 16:39Word is this has now been authenticated as a genuine Banksy. Almost worth braving the rain for?
Adam Mc Naught-Davis
Wed 25/08/2010 at 12:39If anyone has any pictures, please let us know. email: stu@eastmagazine.co.uk
Related listings
Coastal Currents
- What: Art & Exhibition
- Where: Various venues - Hastings, Hastings
- When: Sat 28/08/2010 at 11:00
- How much: TBC
alex chapman
Sun 14/11/2010 at 19:38Luke M has hit the nail on the Head and Keith Hehir-Lynch adds another dimension.
The REAL question is why is there not more input to threads like this?
Is it because most of the people of St Leonards, the place where I live and love do not really have any interest in such things?
I think so!