Banksy’s ‘Chelsea elephants’ are restored to former glory

By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter

A Banksy mural has been restored with added ‘anti-graffiti solution’ to protect it after it was vandalised.

Kensington and Chelsea council cleaned the artwork in Edith Terrace, Chelsea, on Friday after it had been defaced within two weeks of going up.

The piece, which features two elephants poking their heads out of blocked-out windows, had been painted over with stripes. It was the second piece the Bristol-based artist unveiled in the capital within a 24-hour period in August.

The other was a silhouette of a goat atop a wall in Kew. In 2019, the artist’s mural of a painter on a wall in Notting Hill was unveiled after being concealed from the public for a year.

Council workers removed the unwanted white lines and added a special coat of what they described as ‘anti-graffiti solution’ to protect the artwork. The council said the solution is specially designed not to alter the appearance of the surface it is applied to.

The cost of the clear up has not yet been disclosed by the local authority.

Cllr Josh Rendall, who is a councillor for Stanley ward, where the piece is located, said: “We were delighted to discover Banksy had come back to Kensington and Chelsea to add another unique piece to our borough’s rich cultural landscape.

“It was disappointing when it was painted over and we have been quick to return the elephants to their former glory by removing the unwanted paint, applying an anti-graffiti solution and cleaning up the surrounding area.

“We hope that residents and visitors enjoy this and our other Banksy piece on Portobello Road for many years to come.”

Mark Clack from Wood Street Walls, a creative art organisation working with street artists, said many local authorities have embraced street art as a way to enhance local areas and bring in footfall.

He said councils had to decide if and how they should protect artwork within their borough and pointed to the work Wood Street Walls did with Waltham Forest council to protect the Banksy artwork that went up at a fish bar in Walthamstow.

He said the organisation supported the project financially because ‘we felt it was the right thing to do’.

Mark said: “We see the positive impact that it can have on an area in terms of stimulating footfall and boosting the local economy.

“We have seen the cost to clear ‘graffiti’ increase to appointed sub contractors – I believe smarter investment to create safe spaces to paint can support the creative community and will see a better use of funds as well as reducing what people consider graffiti/tagging.”

Representatives for Banksy were contacted for comment.

Pictured top: Workmen getting to grips with the tusk in hand (Picture: LB KC)