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Banksy has denied that the graffiti came from his can |
Is this England? Graffiti artist’s depiction of dying celebrity Jade Goody blotted out by council
A WHITE wall on the side of a derelict house in Kentish Town, briefly became the centre of the world’s attention last week when it was daubed with a stencil of the reality TV star Jade Goody.
With a pound sign emblazoned on her head, vultures circling and the words “THIS IS ENGLAND” in bright red letters stamped above the image, the artwork was meant to be a comment on Ms Goody’s £1million media deal to cover her fight with cancer.
But soon after it appeared – and been declared “not a Banksy” – council street cleaning officers removed it.
Town Hall chiefs took the decision to whitewash the graffiti art after an anonymous artist laid claim to the work on Friday.
A council spokesperson said: “The graffiti was brought to the attention of Camden Council on Thursday February 19 and, in line with our policy around all offensive graffiti, it was removed by lunchtime the next day. Anything written on anyone’s property, without consent, is criminal damage and considered graffiti and will be removed.”
Had the “Jade” been a Bansky, however, the council reaction might have been very different. Officials have made no secret of their penchant for the celebrated guerilla artist’s work and have gone to great lengths to preserve it.
Banksy’s maid, just a stone’s throw away in Chalk Farm, was restored by the council last year after being vandalised. Repeated attempts to blot the stencil out suggest they are fighting a losing battle.
A Banksy rat on the town hall in King’s Cross also enjoys protection, with a special plastic cover.
Neighbour Andrea Kiss, of Maitland Park Road, praised the briefly seen Jade stencil for tackling a subject that has been a front-page story for the tabloid press for a week.
“It’s good that people have a reaction,” she said. “I have read somewhere that she’s doing it for her children. In that case I understand.”
David Bennett, a builder working on the road, added: “You can’t criticise her until you’ve been in her situation.
“Until you watch someone die of cancer you can’t say anything about it.
“As long as the money’s going into the trust fund for those children, good luck to her.”
Colin Gladwell, of Prince of Wales Road, said: “I like seeing graffiti in Camden, but not on historic buildings – that’s outrageous. It’s OK on a tatty old building like this.” |
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