Banksy does not have to create new art to make the headlines. When a piece by this famous artist appears on a wall somewhere in the world, the articles basically write themselves. People and events seem to be drawn to his art even years after it was created. Recently, the 2013 Banksy mural in the Bronx, NY, once again became a talking point. After almost a decade of being covered by a metal gate and scaffolding, the controversial mural depicting a boy spraypainting the words “Ghetto 4 Life” on a wall was relocated to Bridgeport, CT.
Banksy mural was relocated from the Bronx, NY, to Bridgeport, CT
The Banksy mural originally appeared on a wall of a building in Melrose in the South Bronx as part of a month-long open-air exhibition, during which Banksy created art pieces all over New York. This graffiti piece, in particular, stirred up controversy due to its subject. It portrayed a young boy spray painting “Ghetto 4 Life” on the wall, which provoked mixed responses from the borough’s residents. They said that Banksy’s artwork promoted negative and outdated stereotypes about the Bronx. In addition, the street artist, as far as is known, is a white British man, which added a racially charged connotation to the mural.
The owner of the building with the mural on its wall said that he unsuccessfully tried to offer the mural to nearby schools and some art institutions, including MoMA. After being met with refusals, he decided to finally relocate the mural and demolish the building to give way to a charter school.
“Ghetto 4 Life” was removed with the help of the art logistics company Fine Art Shippers and the structural steel company Chesakl. The art-bearing wall was cut out from the building and successfully moved to Bridgeport, CT. Fine Art Shippers has shared the plans to restore the graffiti and cover it with protective glass for preservation. However, the new location is likely temporary, and it is possible that the mural will be sold and relocated in the future again.
It is interesting that Fine Art Shippers worked on another Banksy wall project in 2019. Back then, the company supervised the relocation of a mural depicting a black seal with a red ball on its nose. The artwork was initially located in Brooklyn but was moved by the building’s owner to a new location.
Photo courtesy of Fine Art Shippers