MELBOURNE BANKSY DESTROYED BY CLEANERS

AN AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL IS RUEING A DECISION TO SEND STREET CLEANERS INTO A MELBOURNE LANE AFTER THEY PAINTED OVER A PRICELESS STENCIL OF A RAT BY THE CELEBRATED STREET ARTIST BANKSY. MELBOURNE DEPUTY MAYOR SUSAN RILEY LAST WEEK SENT A CLEAN-UP TEAM INTO HOSIER LANE, RENOWNED INTERNATIONALLY FOR ITS COLOURFUL STREET ART, TO CLEAN UP GARBAGE IN THE GRAFFITI-LINED PASSAGE AFTER LOCAL RESIDENTS COMPLAINED. BUT THE REQUEST WENT AWRY WHEN THE CLEANERS PAINTED OVER A BANKSY STENCIL OF A RAT HANGING UNDERNEATH A PARACHUTE AND ADORNING THE WALL OF AN OLD COUNCIL BUILDING. 'UNFORTUNATELY THE CONTRACTORS WERE NOT MADE AWARE BY US THAT THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT PIECE. IT IS THE NATURE OF GRAFFITI ART. IT'S VERY VULNERABLE TO OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK', COUNCIL CHIEF EXECUTIVE KATHY ALEXANDER TOLD THE LOCAL RADIO IN A RECENT INTERVIEW. THE RECLUSIVE BANKSY, WHO IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP STREET ARTISTS, PAINTED SEVERAL STENCILS IN MELBOURNE DURING A 2003 VISIT. HIS SATIRICAL AND DISTINCTIVE ART IS OFTEN DIRECTED AT ANTI-WAR, CULTURAL AND ANTI-CAPITALIST THEMES. IN 2008, A LONDON WALL BEARING ONE OF HIS STENCILS WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN SOLD ON EBAY FOR ALMOST $500,000. IT IS NOT THE FIRST TIME BANKSY'S ART HAS BEEN FOULED IN MELBOURNE. VANDALS CREATED ANOTHER OUTCRY IN 2008 WHEN THEY POURED PAINT OVER THE ARTIST'S STENCIL OF A DIVER IN AN OLD-FASHIONED HELMET AND WEARING A TRENCH-COAT. THAT WORK WAS AFTERWARDS PROTECTED BY A SHEET OF CLEAR PERSPEX, ALTHOUGH VANDALS STRUCK AGAIN AND POURED SILVER PAINT BEHIND THE BARRIER, TAGGING IT WITH THE WORDS, 'BANKSY WOZ ERE'. ALEXANDER SAID THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD RUSH THROUGH RETROSPECTIVE PERMITS TO PROTECT OTHER FAMOUS OR SIGNIFICANT ARTWORKS IN AUSTRALIA'S SECOND-LARGEST CITY. 'IN HINDSIGHT, WE SHOULD HAVE ACTED SOONER TO FORMALLY APPROVE AND PROTECT BANKSY'S WORKS', SHE SAID.