Ukraine Banksy Mural Also at Risk... Theft Attempt Detected

In Hostomel on the outskirts of Kyiv... Artwork removed but not damaged
Local police "Perpetrators arrested on site... Mural protected by police"

A mural by Banksy painted in Hostomel, Ukraine. This is the appearance before it was stolen. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] A gang attempting to steal a mural painted by the graffiti artist Banksy, known as the 'faceless painter,' in Ukraine was caught on the spot.

According to a report by the British Guardian on the 2nd (local time), the targeted artwork was a mural painted in Hostomel, a suburb of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The mural depicts a woman wearing a gas mask, a bathrobe, and holding a fire extinguisher. The outer surface of the wall where the artwork was painted was made of wooden boards and plasterboard, and the gang cut out only the part with the painting. Local police arrested many people at the scene and stated that the painting was recovered.

This mural is one of seven murals Banksy painted during his visit to Ukraine last month. Fortunately, the mural was not damaged and is currently being protected by the police. Oleksiy Kuleba, governor of Kyiv, said, "These images (Banksy's works) are ultimately symbols of the fight against the enemy and stories about global support and solidarity for Ukraine," adding, "We will do our best to preserve these street artworks as symbols of victory."

On the 11th of last month (local time), Banksy posted three photos of murals on his Instagram along with a brief caption, "Borodianka, Ukraine." Borodianka is a city located northwest of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, which suffered significant damage from Russian bombings early in the war this February. The mural in Banksy's Instagram photos shows a young gymnast girl balancing in a handstand position on the rubble of a destroyed building.

On the 18th of last month, Banksy posted a short 1 minute and 30 seconds video revealing that he painted the Ukrainian murals, including the mural that was the target of the attempted theft. The video also featured Ukrainian citizens, including a young mother who participated in an interview with her young son, sharing the story of the space where Banksy's artwork was painted in her own voice.

She said, "A bomb fell here. Many people died," then pointed to the ruined wall with Banksy's mural, now a ruin, and said, "Our child attended this kindergarten. (Looking at the child beside her) Dear, don't be sad. We have already cried a lot. We have no more tears left to shed."

A painting discovered in Kyiv, Ukraine. It is presumed to be drawn by Banksy.

This is not the first time Banksy's work was nearly stolen. In June 2018, Banksy painted a mural called the 'Sad Girl' on the door of the Bataclan music hall in Paris, France, to commemorate the victims of the November 2015 Paris terror attacks. The mural was painted on the door leading to the alley used as an escape route by many audience members who attended the concert of the American band Eagles of Death Metal on the night of the terror attack.

In January 2019, thieves wearing hoods used an angle grinder to remove the mural. The artwork was found 18 months after being stolen in the attic of a rural farmhouse in Italy, and seven French and one Italian involved in the crime were sentenced to prison.

Meanwhile, Banksy, one of the most famous artists in the contemporary art world, has works that have been traded for hundreds of millions of won.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on October 14 last year (local time) that Banksy's painting "Girl with Balloon" was sold for 18.7 million pounds (approximately 30.4 billion won) at a Sotheby's auction in London. This is the highest price recorded for a Banksy work sold at auction.