Art News

Cleaners Paint Over Priceless Graffiti Stencil of a Rat by Banksy

People walk past a vinyl replacement of the street art stencil titled "Little Diver" by British street artist Banksy in central Melbourne. An Australian council is ruling a decision to send street cleaners into a Melbourne lane after they painted over a priceless stencil of a rat by the celebrated graffiti artist Banksy.

CANBERRA (REUTERS).- 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 British graffiti artist
Banksy.
Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Susan Riley last week sent a clean-up team
into
Hosier Lane, renowned internationally for its colorful street art, to
clean up
garbage in the graffiti-lined passage after local residents complained.

In 2008, a London wall bearing one of his stencils was said to have sold
on eBay
for almost $500,000.