Dear Banksy, please graffiti Franco’s house
IF THE street artist Banksy were to visit the Spanish city of Ferrol, one site he might consider for his politically charged graffiti would be the house where former dictator Francisco Franco was born.
The townspeople, not necessarily fans of the former general, have envisaged that very possibility as a means to attract tourists for reasons other than Franco – but how to contact an artist who never shows their face, let alone give a contact address?
To inspire the Bristolian artist to make their dream a reality, organisers of the town’s art festival have launched a media campaign, taking out advertisements in leading international newspapers, including The Daily Telegraph, as well as billboards in Bristol and London. The adverts are headlined “Dear Banksy,” and invite the artist to claim his reserved space on a wall ahead of this year’s event on September 2.
“It would be a fantastic idea. People come here only to see the house where Franco was born and it is an albatross around our neck. I would much prefer them to come and see the Banksy,” said Eduardo Hermida, a painter who organises the Meninas de Canido festival – so named because artists are encouraged to cover the walls with their takes on Diego Velázquez’s masterpiece Las Meninas.
Artists at the festival, sponsored by the Galician beer brand 1906, are invited to create their work on the streets of Canido, a rundown area of the city in the northwestern region of Galicia.
“Banksy is a star. Our project is a really local, neighbourhood thing, so we don’t know how to connect him with all of our energy,” said Mr Hermida.
“It’s frustrating. We have 250 Meninas on the walls by artists from as far afield as Thailand, but no Banksy.”
Among the international artists to have interpreted Velázquez’s painting are Ting-tong Chang, a Saatchi Gallery exhibitor, and Spain-based Syrian artist Ali. Mr Hermida explained that he launched the festival, which also features the work of photographers, dancers, musicians and poets, in 2008 as a response to the gradual decline of an area in a city which used to rely on shipbuilding.
“Ferrol’s population is now 67,000, but it was built for double that.”
Mr Hermida said that Canido had made a comeback thanks to the spirit of the festival, with restaurants, bars and boutiques again jostling for space on the streets. “We are almost out of walls to paint,” he joked.
“Banksy must have heard our plea. Now he knows we exist, at least. If he doesn’t come, well that’s his loss. At least, we will have enjoyed the feeling of hope, and there’s always another year.”