TfL Removes Banksy Graffiti from Tube Train
Artist donned hazmat gear to paint images of sneezing rats in carriage
Banksy on the Hammersmith & City line. Picture: Banksy/Instagram
Graffiti done by Banksy on a London Underground train has been removed by Transport for London (TfL).
It is not clear if they were aware that the images of sneezing rats were by the world famous artist as initially they told the press they were unaware of the artwork after a video was posted on Banksy's Instagram account showing him on a Hammersmith & City line train.
You see him watching a video of the deep-cleaning that is currently being undertaken on the Underground and then donning a hazmat suit, entering a station and boarding a train. He beckons to passengers to move down the carriage and then uses stencils to paint sneezing rats and rats parachuting using facemasks.
A TfL spokesperson said, “We appreciate the sentiment of encouraging people to wear face coverings, which the vast majority of customers on our transport network are doing. In this particular case, the work was removed some days ago due to our strict anti-graffiti policy. We’d like to offer Banksy the chance to do a new version of his message for our customers in a suitable location.”
The street-artist, whose identity remains a closely guarded secret, had his face hidden by a mask and googles.
The video, titled ‘If You Don't Mask You Don't Get', ends with a frame of ‘I get lockdown' painted on a station wall which is replaced by ‘but I get up again' when the train doors close at which point the Chumbawumba song Tubthumping is played.
July 15, 2020
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