Banksy has confirmed a sixth new mural in London this week – but it’s already being taken down.
The elusive artist has hit again, this time on Edgware Road in Cricklewood, northwest London.
A big cat was spotted doing a stretch on a dilapidated billboard this morning.
But contractors have already been called in to remove the artwork, saying plans to take down the billboard on Monday had been brought forward in case ‘someone rips it down and leaves it unsafe’.
The art piece won’t be thrown away immediately, with the contractors planning to take it to their yard to see who tries to collect it – but if nobody comes to claim the piece, it will ‘go in a skip’.
The first lucky person to set eyes on the painting was Simon Stephenson, 53, on his way to Lidl when he saw the big cat.
A long time Banksy collector, he claimed he knew ‘immediately’ it is by the mysterious artist.
He said: ‘I saw it at 8am – I just glanced at it initially. I’ve been collecting all his work anyway, for the last 20 years – I knew immediately it was him.
‘Nobody’s paid any attention to it. It could be a priceless artwork and they just see it as rubbish in the street.
‘It looks like a tiger breaking down a billboard. Such a clever use of the medium.’
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Online sleuths appeared to agree with Simon’s verdict, with some Reddit users saying it looked like a potential new Banksy – just moments before the big cat’s origin was confirmed as the artist’s work on the Banksy Instagram account with more than 12million followers.
It comes as London is being turned into an urban jungle after five new graffiti thought to be by Banksy popped across London this week.
The first new Banksy this week – a mountain goat – appeared in Kew, west London, followed by two elephants in Chelsea which shot one dogwalker into global fame after she pictured underneath the mural.
Then three monkeys hanging off a railway bridge appeared on Brick Lane, and a wolf in Peckham which was quickly targeted by a group of men with ladders who took off with the piece.
A mural with two pelicans was discovered in Walthamstow yesterday before the latest stunt thought to be Banksy’s today, although the exact time the big cat was graffitied is unknown.
A contractor currently taking the Banksy down, who would only give his name as Marc, said: ‘We’ll store that bit (the artwork) in our yard to see if anyone collects it but if not it’ll go in a skip.
‘I’ve been told to keep it careful in case he wants it.’
Police have taped off part of the pavement in front of the billboard while they work, as crowds taking pictures and videos gather around the art piece.
Banksy’s representatives have been approached for a comment.
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