A NEW Banksy tree mural sprayed on the side of a home has reportedly been vandalised with white paint.
The artist claimed the artwork as his own in an Instagram post on Monday, following a morning of speculation after it appeared on a building on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park, north London, overnight.
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Residents said they were “proud and delighted” at the thought of the anonymous artist choosing their street for his latest mural.
Wanja Sellers, a Hornsey Road resident who lives a few doors down from the mural, said: “We’re so proud and delighted that Banksy chose our road and chose Finsbury Park for his work.
“The bright green colours represent Islington, which is lovely, and also, of course, St Patrick’s Day, which is nice and festive.
“Choosing the colours of our borough just makes it feel like a personal message to us residents. We just feel so proud.”
Bright green paint was sprayed on the building, in front of a cut-back tree, creating the impression of being its foliage.
A stencil of a person holding a pressure hose has also been sketched on to the building.
The vivid paint colour matches that used by Islington Council for street signs in the area.
Neighbours gathered to take photographs and selfies with the mural on Monday morning and to speculate on its creator.
However it now seems that the Banksy has been vandalised with white paint thrown over it.
Trainee clinical psychologist Amy, who lives in a flat in the building, took to X, formerly Twitter, to share a photo of the incident.
She wrote: “Someone’s vandalised the Banksy overnight. Gutted. Why can’t people let a community be happy without trying to ruin it?”
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was “delighted” to see the artwork in his Islington North constituency.
“Banksy’s come to Finsbury Park with a bit of greenery in a place that needs a bit more greenery. We’re the most densely populated constituency in the country and I’m just delighted,” the MP said.
“It gives the idea that we could do with much more greenery everywhere and I think that’s a really nice message.”
Lidia Guerra, another Hornsey Road resident, said: “The way it’s been done, with the paint spraying down, reminds me of a weeping willow, so there’s perhaps a message about the struggle of nature with the dead tree in front.
“It’s just great – when we read about it last night, we knew we had to come and see it as soon as possible.
“We feel so proud to think he chose our street.”
Local Chris Beskin said he welcomed the mural, adding it is a “great thing to have in our area”.
“I’m absolutely delighted to see this on our street – I think it’s great and sends a strong message, I’d like to see more of it, to be honest, the more the merrier,” he said.
“I think it’s probably one of his biggest pieces in a while – and the fact he’s done it on the wall means it can’t just be stolen or easily removed.”
Chris went to see the mural with his neighbours on Monday morning.
Loraine Holmes is the co-founder of Facebook group Banksy locations, which has almost 20,000 members.
It’s quite mad to be honest, to come down here and just to see all the crowds of people looking at the building
Alex Georgiou
She said she heard about the mural on Sunday night and got the first train down from Leeds on Monday morning to see it for herself.
Although Banksy had not confirmed the piece as his own when she left home, Loraine said she was certain from the information shared in the Facebook group that the mural was the anonymous street artist’s work.
“I’ve been a fan for five, six years now and I’ve travelled across the country and seen his works in Margate, Nottingham, Port Talbot, I even travelled to Paris to see one of his pieces.
“We get a lot of information in this Facebook group, so I basically knew last night that this was definitely a Banksy piece.
“I’m just so glad to be down here and it’s really exciting to see the crowds here for his work.”
Banksy usually confirms his artwork via his Instagram and website.
Before this piece, his last confirmed work was in December, when he painted military drones on to a stop sign in Peckham, south-east London.
That work was removed less than an hour after it was confirmed on the artist’s social media to be genuine, with witnesses reporting it was taken down by a man with bolt cutters.
Two men were later arrested on suspicion of theft and criminal damage.
Alex Georgiou, whose company owns the building with the mural on, said he found out about it late on Sunday night, and came down to see it for the first time on Monday morning.
“It’s quite mad to be honest, to come down here and just to see all the crowds of people looking at the building,” he said.
Alex said there was not currently anyone living in the building, which was on the lettings market with his estate agents, Alex Marks.
Banksy’s last confirmed artwork
ELUSIVE artist Banksy confirms any artwork on his Instagram page.
The last post admitting any work was his came in December 2023.
A traffic stop sign was covered with three aircraft said to resemble military drones on a South London street.
Fans of Banksy interpreted the piece as a political statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Just an hour after Banksy posted confirming it was his, the graffiti art was removed and two men were seen taking it down.
Footage showed one of them balancing on a Lime bike at the junction of Southampton Way and Commercial Way.
It is understood Banksy was not behind the removal.
“The question is, what do I do with it now? What am I meant to do with it now?
“I definitely plan on keeping it on there and letting people enjoy it, everyone’s loving it which is great, I just can’t really believe it still to be honest,” he said.
Alex joked that he might be able to increase the rent price, now that the elusive street artist had chosen the building for his latest artwork.
The Islington Council’s graffiti removal team is reportedly aware of the artwork and will not remove it.
Councillor Roulin Khondoker, executive member for equalities, culture and inclusion, said: “Culture is a powerful way to tell meaningful stories and we welcome this artwork in Islington, a borough that celebrates creativity.
“This fantastic piece from Banksy has sparked a real buzz across Islington and beyond, and we very much want the artwork to stay for people to enjoy. We want to find more ways that we can tell important stories through art and culture.
“Trees are a vital part of our work to tackle the climate emergency. We’ve planted nearly 900 in the last year alone, and we work hard to care for our trees and help them to thrive.”
It is understood that the cherry tree in front of the artwork is around 40 to 50-years-old and in declining health.
The council’s tree service had been maintaining it for some time to help prolong its lifespan and would continue to try to keep the decaying tree alive.
Alex joked that he might be able to increase the price of the property now the elusive street artist had chosen it as the canvas for his latest artwork.
But he later quelled the fears of residents concerned their rent bills could increase, and clarified he would not be looking to profit from the artwork, unless a Banksy “superfan” wanted to buy the whole building.
He told the MailOnline: “I was having a bit of a laugh with the girls who were saying I was going to put the rent up 250 per cent but no, no. I doubt it.
“Unless we have a massive Banksy fan who is prepared to pay over the odds. But a property is worth what a property is worth.
“You know what, if somebody offered me millions and they can have the building and take the flats with it. Feel free.
“They can come knocking if they want. Give me a number in an envelope and whoever has the biggest number can have it.”
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