Banksy artwork in Margate set to be MOVED to new location after council workers accused of ruining it | The Sun
A BANKSY mural is set to be moved to a new and secure location after locals slammed the council for ruining it.
The iconic piece shows a 1950s housewife with a black eye and broken tooth shoving a man into a freezer.
The painted man's feet were designed to fit behind a real-life freezer, which was left discarded on the side of the street.
The mural highlights the issue of violence against women and faceless artist confirmed it was his latest piece on Instagram.
It has been named "Valentine's Day mascara" and popped up in Margate, Kent on February 15, 2023.
But, there are plans to relocate the painting to Dreamland – a theme park in Margate -after the crucial freezer was removed twice and items stolen nearby.
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It was first taken away by Thanet District Council within 24 hours to place a protective plastic screen across the painting.
While the freezer was missing, council workers shocked locals when they replaced it with a regular green wheelie bin.
Despite returning the item later the same day, it was removed again by London-based Red Eight Galleries – the new owner of the mural.
Eddie Kemsley, CEO of Dreamland Margate, said: "The arrival of Banksy's latest artwork in Margate has caused a real stir.
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"Everyone in the town is really excited that he has chosen Margate as the location for his latest work, and the fact that he is highlighting such an important issue only makes it more important.
"Imagine our surprise when we got a call asking if we would be able to host the artwork. We jumped at the chance to help ensure that the piece could remain accessible and within the community.
"All the details are still being worked out, but we will work closely with the team of qualified experts to find a suitable location, where the public can enjoy this brilliant new addition to the Margate art scene.
"We understand the current owner of the artwork is keen to raise money to help the local charity, Oasis, which supports those that have been affected by domestic abuse.
"We will assist the owner of the artwork and Red Eight Gallery on the logistics of how, when and where the piece will be moved and when everything has been finalised, further details will be announced."
Julian Usher, Red Eight Gallery's chief executive, said: "There were other items forming part of this art installation.
"We believe they included a frying pan with red paint on it, then a bottle and a chair.
"We have had contact from an unknown person offering the frying pan for sale and we will consider securing that.
"Regarding the chair and bottle, it is unlikely and probably on balance, deemed unnecessary.
"We had security on site by 10am having had the call just after 9am on Tuesday morning from the owner and by then they had gone.
All the details are still being worked out, but we will work closely with the team of qualified experts to find a suitable location, where the public can enjoy this brilliant new addition to the Margate art scene."
"We have the freezer secured and in storage.
"It is a shame that a local was quick to remove an item, but it won't affect what the owner wishes to achieve."
The mural, which is on the side of a house, is set to be cut away from the building by structural engineers so it can eventually be moved to a permanent home.
Mr Usher has asked for domestic abuse charities to benefit from any money raised from the mural.
This comes after locals near Dover's ferry terminal blasted their council for vowing to tear down a wall which holds a Bansky original.
The £1million piece appeared in 2017, but two years later it was defaced by vandals who covered the entire painting.
Now, Dover District Council want to replace the EU flag-themed piece with a swathe of newbuild houses.
Locals have blasted the council's decision – claiming it's wrong to destroy such important art.
And the Margate Valentine's Day mural is not the first Banksy which needs to be moved to a secure location.
Season's Greetings, which depicts a message about the impact of pollution, will be rehomed from Port Talbot, South Wales, by art dealer-owner John Brandler.
It first appeared on the outside of a steelworker's private garage in Taibach on December 19, 2018.
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But over the last three years, vandals have made repeated attempts to damage it.
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