“Banksy has become part of the London scene and it’s really nice to share his iconic status with, ultimately, one of the most iconic zoos in the entire world”, says the zoo’s animal operations manage
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Visitors can enjoy and snap pics of Banksy’s ninth animal-themed work on display at the London Zoo.
A new, “absolutely brilliant” Banksy piece that popped up at the London Zoo is attracting attention.
“We’re quite honored he’s chosen to use our front shutters this morning to put one of his incredible artworks,” Daniel Simmonds, London Zoo’s animal operations manager, told BBC News.
A Banksy piece depicting a gorilla lifting a curtain to help a humming bird, seal, and other flying animals escape while three pairs of eyes stare out from behind the curtain in darkness appeared on the front shutters of the zoo on Tuesday. The artist posted a photo of it to his Instagram in the morning.
The zoo’s staff had no idea it would be targeted to display the last piece in Banksy’s series, where he is depicting animals across the city, according to the BBC.
The first in the series made an appearance on August 5. It depicted rocks crumbling under a goat standing on a pillar.
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There are seven other works of art centered around animals that can be found all over the city, which include the following depictions:
- A rhino mating with an actual car
- A wolf howling at the moon
- Pelicans eating fish on top of a fish bar’s storefront
- Two elephants staring at each other with their heads and trunks sticking out of window frames
- Piranhas swimming on the glass of a police box
- A big cat stretching on a blank billboard, which was removed hours after being put up, reports The Guardian.
- Monkeys swinging along a bridge
Zoo plans on preserving artwork
“Banksy has become part of the London scene and it’s really nice to share his iconic status with, ultimately, one of the most iconic zoos in the entire world,” said Simmonds, who is expecting thousands of visitors to come to the zoo today.
The BBC reports that the shutter will stay closed for the day, and the zoo will open two other ones instead to allow people into the zoo.
“We’re quite honored he’s chosen to use our front shutters this morning to put one of his incredible artworks,” said Simmonds.
Contributing: James Powel, USA TODAY
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz
