Banksy ‘CCTV’ Installation

Bansky should be icon for all street artists. Genius piece of artwork.

As others have noted, it’s no longer there. If you’re one of the lucky ones who got to see it, then you, like me, probably marvelled at the sheer scale, not to mention the audacity of it all. A cheeky piece of work, made all the better by it having been done in a secure area. Heh!

Why do councils insist on defacing or destroying art?
Even if it is not your ‘thing’, let others enjoy it!
Something I thought I would never say… its good that google has captured it!

Genuinely thought this wasn’t an actual thing (as in, was made on film set) until I saw it.
Like big brother, it somehow manges to stealthily loom over you, catching you unaware, like a fox in the headlights looking up at it with confusion on your face.

This Banksy — near my home in Fitzrovia —
was so clever, because it worked on so
many levels, which of course is why it
was painted over.
Firstly the site: the GPO sorting Office, so
a major communications hub for London;
Secondly, it was painted right under the
watchful eye of some CCTV cameras;
Thirdly, the little red hoodie doing the
graffitti is a reference to the movie DONT
LOOK NOW, so therein the message…
But now we have a new one — see Banksy
Rat, Fitzrovia — which Westminster Council
are threatening to paint over … Banksy’s
message is clear.

should I give 5 stars for what has been there or 1 star only for what still remains? unfortunately this piece of streetart is gone.

Unfortunately, I was only able to see this artwork through the magic of the Internet. My travels kept me away from London until it had already disappeared.
I love the irony reflected in the interaction between the art and the immediate environment, as well as the psychological impact of the «shadow figures».
Wish I could have seen this in person.

This one is now gone too. All that is left is a large area of White wall. Shame.
Can still see it on streetview (jun 2010)
… (
)

I remember when I first saw this art. I never thought that in my life I would ever see a real Banksy, let alone one as famous as this one. It was such a joy to see this in person.
I’ve never been a fan of art but seeing this for real was a great honour.

For those of you who haven’t been walking down Oxford Street to see this cheeky installation by graffiti artist Banksy on the blank façade of a building on Newman Street, you really ought to go out to see it. The BT Tower sits in the background, somehow making it all the more comedic yet poignant. It’s particularly good at dusk.
Banksy is said to have carried out the work during the night, somehow getting past security gates, putting up scaffolding, and being watched by CCTV cameras throughout the entire process. Westminster Council announced in October 2008 that they would cover it up, treating it just like any other graffiti regardless of the reputation of its artist, but, well, it’s still there now.
So. .. yeah. Have you heard about how Google Maps Street View has made it to London? Time to go read Nineteen Eighty-​Four.

I just love Banksy’s work and this is one of my favourites. I love the way he makes the CCTV graffiti sign look so real, like rough graffiti which makes the figures he stencils underneath look like real people– what an amazing effect! I also love the fact that it is painted directly underneath the CCtv camera– so clever!

Banksy, along with Sybil Fawlty, would probably choose ‘The Bleedin’ Obvious’ as his specialist subject on Mastermind. His trite artworks are almost always banal and tap into the desire of a gullible section of the public to see the powers that be mocked.
His work is ultimately safe, boring and in this case poorly designed because the painted figures at the bottom of the mural are almost always obscured by rubbish bins so usually the only part that’s visible is the statement itself.

Love his work and i love this!

Have to agree with the other reviews — this one is a classic. I was thrilled to see painted just underneath a massive CCTV camera! Ace.

So glad @Purchaser reviewed this! I love this Banksy! The security guard artwork is so cool and when i first saw the kid on the ladder i thought it was real! Brilliant graffiti. Classic Banksy. Is this his newest one in Central London?

One of the newest Banksy pieces to appear in central london recently. Apparently he had scaffolding errected & covered to do the work right in front of the CCTV cameras & not once was questioned about it.