Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Banksy’s sneezing woman on the move
WHEN most artworks worth millions of pounds are moved a couple of gallery curators are all that is needed.
It took a rather greater amount of manpower – and a giant crane – to delicately remove a Banksy from the wall of a home in Bristol yesterday.
The operation to move the ‘Aachoo!!’ mural was complicated by its being located on a home on the steepest residential street in Britain.
But over a couple of hours, as a crowd of onlookers gathered at Vale Street in Totterdown, the graffiti artist’s mural was successfully removed.
It is likely to have been removed after being sold by the new owners of the home – although uncertainty surrounds the whole process.
When the secretive Bristolian artist sprayed ‘Aachoo!!’ onto the home in December the house was being sold. There were rumours that it added millions to the value of the home but the sale went through and its new owners immediately placed scaffold around it.
It was later covered with wooden planks as a security measure.
There have been reports that offers of up to £2.5 million were made for the work.
One of the people moving the Banksy was thought to be Federico Borgogni – a restorer from Italy.
He is a specialist at removing frescos and has previously helped moved one from nearby Fishponds.
Borgogni, who was present at the Banksy yesterday, confirmed he was involved in the restoration, but refused to divulge any more information.
The task of removing the Banksy was in the hands of Mass Developments UK Limited.
Owner Mark Steventon-Smith said it had been a tough job, but wouldn’t shed any light on the owners, sale, or potential destination of ‘Aachoo!!’.
Speaking after the high-value wall was grounded, he said: “I really can’t say anything, and I can’t say where it’s going either.
“But I’m so happy to finally see it on the ground.
“We were told to be very careful, but the owner has insured the Banksy.”
One neighbour refused to comment, except to say the whole process left her feeling “irate”.