Banksy’s Latest Work Vandalized

Banksy is a world famous graffiti artist whose work has become so revered, his street art has been protected in some places.  This is actually funny to some of us who have watched assorted city halls rave and snort about the vandalism that is graffiti. New York City once spent millions upon millions of dollars to erase, not just tagging, but actual fun to look at street art.  I never did understand this since the artwork looked a thousand times better than the piece of crap subway car or building where it was painted.

Now it seems that Banksy’s work does need protection because it’s being vandalized. I find this heartbreaking.  It’s wonderful to be able to walk down an otherwise bleak urban street and be surprised something beautiful, interesting, or thought-provoking on the side of a building that otherwise wouldn’t be there if some beautiful, interesting, or thought-provoking person hadn’t put it up. I tried to understand the mentally that goes with someone who would vandalize art, but I can’t quite get there. I guess the person or group might think they’re making a statement, but here I get stumped again. What values do you have that make doing something like this okay? It’s not even punk rock. Punks generally value art and artistic expression. Art is symbolic of a free mind and what message does art vandalism send other than creative repression?