Banksy's Latest Animal Mural Appears at London Zoo
Workers arriving at the London Zoo on the morning of August 13 were surprised to discover an unexpected exhibit that suggested the animals were being set free.
A mural by street artist Banksy showed a gorilla holding up the entrance gate as birds and a sea lion escaped. Three sets of eyes looked out from the darkness inside.
The painting may explain why Banksy-created creatures — such as a mountain goat on a wall, piranhas circling a police guard post, and a rhinoceros climbing onto a car — have been showing up across London for nine straight days.
Each of the works posted on Banksy's Instagram page have included a London Zoo hashtag, said Dan Simmonds, animal operations manager at the zoo.
"Part of the enigma of Banksy is obviously that everything is a surprise," Simmonds said. "We certainly didn't expect it was actually going to happen right here, on one of our huge admission shutters."
The roll-down shutter was closed all day to show off the work.
Banksy began his career spray-painting buildings in Bristol, England, and has become one of the world's best-known artists.
His paintings and installations sell for millions of dollars at auction and have drawn thieves and vandals. The latest group of works is no exception: Banksy's rhino was tagged with graffiti and a wolf silhouette on a satellite dish was stolen hours after it appeared.
Workers at the zoo shielded the mural later in the day with a see-through plastic covering.
A police box that looked like a fish tank was removed to the City of London offices to protect it and will eventually be placed where it can be viewed by the public.
It was not clear if the zoo mural would be the final in the series.
Simmonds said the zoo was honored Banksy had chosen it for one of his canvases.
