The notable mural "Ghetto 4 Life" by the mysterious street artist Banksy, previously located in New York's South Bronx, has been relocated to Bridgeport, Connecticut, stirring significant emotional responses from the local community. This piece, depicting a well-dressed young boy spray-painting the title phrase while a butler assists him, was removed from its original site on Melrose building at 651 Elton Avenue due to the building's impending demolition for new construction, specifically a charter school.
The departure of the mural, created during Banksy's "Better Out Than In" series in New York in October 2013, has provoked a wave of nostalgia and loss among the residents of the Bronx, highlighting the mural's importance as a symbol of local identity and pride. Community members, like Steve Jacob, expressed deep sadness over the removal, emphasizing that the artwork was a gift to the Bronx community, now unjustly taken away.
Efforts were made by David Damaghi, the building's owner, to retain the mural within New York City, reaching out to various local institutions, including schools and the Museum of Modern Art. However, these attempts were unsuccessful, leading to the relocation of the artwork to 800 Union Avenue in Bridgeport, a property managed by Pillar Property Management.
Fine Art Shippers, renowned for their expertise in handling delicate artworks, as well as providing art storage at their facility in Upper Manhattan, managed the intricate relocation of Banksy's "Ghetto 4 Life". As the only fine art service company in the United States to have transported a Banksy mural twice, they handled the situation with exceptional care, ensuring the mural's safety during transit.
Banksy, an enigmatic figure whose true identity remains a subject of speculation and intrigue, has previously expressed indifference to the relocation or removal of his works, though acknowledging the detrimental impact such actions might have on street art as a medium. Speculation around Banksy's identity has been rampant, with recent theories humorously linking him to Kate Middleton due to her absence from the public eye, despite historical attributions to individuals like Robert Banks.
Jean Dubreil
