Overlooked New York Part III: Banksy Gone

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

October 2013

May 2014

May 2014

 

Staples Street at Jay Street, Tribeca:

October 2014

October 2014

May 2014

May 2014

 

24th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues, Chelsea: 

October 2013

October 2013

May 2014

May 2014

Not too much going on now.

Banksy’s Message?

Banksy’s New York residency has been a frenzied thing.IMAG3527His works are thronged by an adoring mob one moment and then defaced by angry individuals the next.

Wednesday, October 15

Jay and Staple Street. Wednesday, October 15

Friday, October 17

Jay and Staples Street, Friday, October 17

Tuesday, October 22

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. 

IMAG3549

Dialogue around the Staples Street Banksy

Workmen arrived at the corner of Staples and Jay Street in Tribeca to box up the Banksy. IMAG3502“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.” IMAG3510“At least you’ll slow them down.”

“You can never stop evil.”IMAG3503Tribecian passed by with his Golden Labrador and blurted out sarcastically, “Oh, my god, it’s art!” IMAG3501The 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?”IMAG3512Having 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.”IMAG3513A young family squeezed behind, carrying three large wooden crates of apples. “You’re pulling me,” one of the young sisters complained to the other.