After some calculating "construction" on Friday, a group of guys almost became Banksy burglars after sawing away at the "Girl With Umbrella" street art on a North Rampart Street building. It's widely believed that this piece is the work of the reclusive British graffiti superstar, Banksy. After pulling up in a moving truck and building a plywood barrier around the corner of the building, these mischievous, unidentified "workers" started cutting into the cinder block wall. According to NOLA Defender and the Bywater Neighborhood Association, the group said they were donating it to "the museum" and eventually peaced out when the questions continued. Banksy's art can fetch millions so removals and preservation efforts — like the restoration of a Banksy piece from a warehouse owned by developer Sean Cummings — clearly don't go unnoticed or without an announcement. There were no permits associated with the "Girl With Umbrella" action and the owner of the building "knew nothing of the activity."
UPDATE: Apparently, one of the guys involved in the Banksy fiasco said he is a "private art handler" and was moving the chunk of the wall for a show this spring at the Tate Modern art gallery in London. Tate Modern reps told the Daily Mail there is no such show scheduled.
· Unidentified Quartet Attempt To Move Banksy's 'Girl With Umbrella' [NOLA Defender]
· 'I'm moving it to the Tate Modern!' [Daily Mail]
· Banksy archives [Curbed NOLA]
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