Modern art is rubbish
February 23rd 2010 A property developer who admits he doesn't like modern art is planning to paint over one of Britain's biggest Banksy artworks. The mural in question is a 30ft tall painting of a rat holding a machine gun, and can currently be seen on a former Liverpool pub.
The Grade 2 listed Georgian property was decorated by the graffiti artist, as part of Liverpool's Biennial art festival in 2004, reports the Daily Telegraph. But property developer Billy Palmer, 44, who bought the building at auction for £114,000, says he has no interest in preserving the painting.
"I'm not a fan of modern art, I can't say I know much about it really," said Palmer after the auction. "All I was concerned about was getting this great building for a good price, I'm going to turn it into luxury flats. I might leave the Banksy on the wall until last, just to see how it looks, but it will have to go to get the look I want."
Banksy has now stopped authenticating his work to prevent dealers from cashing-in on his fame. As an official commission, this work is a rarity. "It would be an absolute tragedy if this artwork was destroyed," said Amber Tan, group director of Purple Revolver, a Liverpool-based urban artists group which has campaigned for the giant Banksy to be preserved.
"This piece is unusual, due to its size and the fact that it carries Banksy's authentication, which is now very rare. This artwork really needs to be preserved, and could become a massive tourist attraction if it was looked after."
Banksy has gained international acclaim for his work as a graffiti artist. Some works have fetched millions of pounds.
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