Banksy’s famed New York residency last October drew all sorts of hype, all of which I bought into…and yesterday, visited three of the sites to see what was left behind.
23rd Street, between Lexington & Third Avenues, Murray Hill:
October 2013
May 2014
Staples Street at Jay Street, Tribeca:
October 2014
May 2014
24th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues, Chelsea:
October 2013
May 2014
Not too much going on now.
Much to the excitement and consternation of the city, Banksy has left his tag and departed.
The hype and hate had to stop at some point, but I will miss the work. 
Banksy is a clever, talented and most humorous artist with something to say. 
The work gives pause.
I thank him for that.And ask him to come back anytime.
Banksy’s New York residency has been a frenzied thing.
His works are thronged by an adoring mob one moment and then defaced by angry individuals the next.
Jay and Staple Street. Wednesday, October 15
Jay and Staples Street, Friday, October 17
Jay and Staples Street, Tuesday, October 22
It’s an ugly circus, funny and not, conveying something we already knew: The city is full of idiots.
The latest Bansky frenzy gathered on 24th Street in Chelsea’s Gallery District. Not even NY1 could get through the crowds. 
Things are calmer back on Staples Street now. 
Where the Banksy is now under glass.
Workmen arrived at the corner of Staples and Jay Street in Tribeca to box up the Banksy. 
“Thank god you guys got to it first,” a Banksy enthusiast remarked,
The workman measured the width of the piece. “Oh, they’ll get at it, if they want to.” 
“At least you’ll slow them down.”
“You can never stop evil.”A Tribecian passed by with his Golden Labrador and blurted out sarcastically, “Oh, my god, it’s art!” 
The Banksy enthusiasts looked back, a little miffed, but shrugged it off. They continued to watch the workman drill holes around the Banksy work.
“Did you know that you can’t see an original piece of art anymore?” One said a little loudly over the sound of the drill. “You know how many times they’ve painted over the Mona Lisa?”
Having tried to take her pictures for some time around the workmen, a Banksy admirer finally gave up and confessed to her boyfriend. “All I got was a picture of that guy’s ass.”
A young family squeezed behind, carrying three large wooden crates of apples. “You’re pulling me,” one of the young sisters complained to the other.
Bansky is in New York. 
Here’s a map of what he’s done so far. Some worship him.
Others not so much. 
Whatever anyone thinks, he’ll be hyping it up in the city for another two weeks. I’m just hoping to catch Sirens of the Lambs. 
Although it might be hard to find.
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