An art piece by Banksy has been found after it was removed from its original location and stashed away for years.
While missing or stolen art can be located in multiple ways — for instance, by using modern techniques like AI programs or old-timey “wanted” posters — the Banksy mural was tracked down thanks to an investigation by the BBC.
There Are Still Unanswered Questions About the Mural
The “‘secret’ location of a vandalized and rescued Banksy revealed,” ARTnews reported on Thursday, Nov. 12, adding that a mural by the street artist that has “a checkered past has been located by sleuths at the British Broadcasting Service (BBC).”
The artwork was first painted on Scott Street Bridge in Hull, East Yorkshire, England, in 2018. However, in October 2019, the mural was removed when the bridge was scheduled to be demolished.
“The current location of the Banksy, which measures 22ft by 6ft (7m by 2m) and weighs more than a tonne, has been shrouded in mystery since its removal,” according to the BBC. “The only hint came in 2025 when a council source said the mural was being kept in a ‘secret location.'”
Now, the BBC has found that the mural “is being kept in storage in Norfolk, more than 120 miles away, and that its future is unknown,” per ARTnews.
When the BBC asked the council why the mural is being kept in Norfolk, as well as when it will be returned to Hull and installed at its intended permanent location in Hull’s Trinity Market, there was no response.
The lack of communication around the piece and project is a problem, according to the city’s Orchard Park ward representative Labour councillor Rosie Nicola, who told the BBC, “As a resident, somebody born and bred in Hull, I was thrilled to bits that Banksy came to our city, left his mark but now nobody can see it. It’s been so long since it’s been stashed away. I just want to know when is it going to be on public display again. Nobody will tell us where this painting is and when it’s going to be put on display. It’s wrong.”
Banksy expert Professor Paul Gough, also commented on the situation, saying, “Banksy has always expressed irritation when his public work is dismantled or stolen. It is unfortunate the Hull artwork has remained in storage for such a long time. When the art is removed, it is taken out of its original context and loses its meaning.”
Following the renewed buzz around the artwork, Hull City Council took to social media to post a message regarding the mural on Friday, Nov. 13, writing, “Following recent reports and interest, we can confirm that Hull’s Banksy artwork remains safe in secure storage whilst we prepare to bring it back on public display in the city. We look forward to sharing a further update in the new year 👍”
The BBC has also contacted Banksy for a comment.
The Piece Was First Saved by a Window Cleaner
Although the Banksy piece hasn’t been seen in years, we still know what it looked like when it was on Hull’s Scott Street Bridge.
“The mural shows a young boy, apparently dressed for battle in a helmet and raising wooden sword with a pencil attacked to its tip,” according to ARTnews. “He cries out ‘draw the raised bridge!’ as he seems to sit on a graffiti writer’s tag.”
Although the visual aspects of the piece are engaging enough, the layers of meaning make it even more impactful, which is a hallmark of Banksy’s work. In this case, ARTnews explains that the “joke” behind the mural is “that the work adorned a bridge set to be razed: It’s been closed to traffic since 1994 due to its poor condition, frozen in a raised position.” On top of that, “Banksy also plays with the notion of the pen being mightier than the sword, attaching an actual writing implement to a mock weapon.”
A notable piece, within 48 hours of the mural first going up, it was vandalized when it was covered in white paint. In turn, it was saved by a window cleaner named Jason Fanthorpe, who told BBC Radio Humberside (via The Guardian), “There were lots of people turning up and I was just going to bed when I saw it had been destroyed. It wasn’t just me that helped, this work is international prestige gifted to the city, and I couldn’t sit back and see nothing happen.”
Banksy Piece That Was ‘Vandalized and Rescued’ Found at ‘Secret’ Location