British Authorities Demolish Building Featuring $1.2 Million Banksy Artwork

The government of the British town of Dover has made the decision to demolish a building that housed a street artwork by Banksy, valued at $1.2 million, as reported by CNN. Banksy created this street art piece in 2017, a year after the United Kingdom voted to exit the European Union in a referendum. The mural on the Castle Amusements building depicted a worker removing one of the 12 yellow stars from the EU's blue flag.

In 2019, the town's iconic landmark was painted white, covering the artistic creation. Despite efforts to restore the artwork, the building on which it was painted has now been demolished.

According to a spokesperson for Dover City Council, prior to the demolition, the city authorities determined that preserving Banksy's work would impose significant costs on local taxpayers. He added that contractors are "trying to figure out if there's any way to save Banksy's work." They have already "successfully removed the stars, part of the figure, and the ladder undamaged."

The demolition company covering all additional costs means that if the preservation effort is successful, the artwork will be considered its property. The company representative also noted that the discovered fragments of the artwork are currently being assessed.

"We are making every effort to save this piece of art for the community," emphasized the spokesperson for the demolition company. Banksy has not publicly commented on the incident.

In other news, four design projects from Ukraine — Sivak+Partners, Yod Group, Balbek Bureau, and ISTO — have been shortlisted for the prestigious Best of Year Awards 2023. It is noted that each of the presented Ukrainian projects will compete in different categories, with the award recognizing innovative developments in 129 categories. Specifically, Sivak+Partners' design of the "Tanu" ice cream cafe in the Ukrainian city of Odesa will compete for victory in the "Countertop Service" category. It is worth mentioning that the establishment previously received the prestigious Restaurant & Bar Design Awards for the best interior design. Additionally, Balbek Bureau's concept of a private house named Relogged has made it to the list of finalists in the "Small Suburban House" category. In their project, the studio reimagined an old wooden building, creating a new design adapted to modern interiors.