Latest Banksy mural smashed as derelict farmhouse demolished

Morning is Broken – showing boy opening corrugated iron curtains – appeared on building in Herne Bay

The site of Banksy’s latest work, an outside wall of a derelict farmhouse in the seaside town of Herne Bay in Kent, has been demolished.

The mural, titled Morning is Broken, depicted a silhouetted young boy – next to a silhouetted cat in a window – opening corrugated iron “curtains”.

The work was confirmed in three photographs posted on Wednesday on the anonymous street artist’s Instagram account. The piece is shown in a full-length image of the derelict property, which was covered in ivy, and had peeling white paintwork and missing roof slates on a side building.

There is a closeup of the artwork in another photo and the third shows demolition work that is being carried out on Blacksole Farm.

The final photograph shows the wall on which the artwork originally appeared, with the image also showing a digger, a skip and a pile of brick rubble on the ground as a workman looks on.

The skip company told the PA news agency that the bin which appears in one of the photographs was at a property in Herne Bay and the firm’s only involvement in the project was in providing the bin.

The site, owned by Kitewood, is earmarked for dozens of new homes and demolition work started on Tuesday, with contractors unaware at the time that the artwork was by Banksy.

One of the contractors, George Caudwell, told website KentOnline: “We had no idea it was a Banksy. It made me feel sick realising it was a Banksy – we were gutted.

“We started demolishing it yesterday. The landowner watched us do it and didn’t know either.”

The demolition comes only a month after a Banksy artwork was dismantled numerous times after appearing in Margate, another seaside town in Kent. The mural, titled Valentine’s Day Mascara, appeared to be on the theme of domestic abuse and combating violence against women.

The mural depicts a caricature of a 1950s housewife, wearing a blue pinny and yellow washing-up gloves, with a swollen eye and a missing tooth, who was seen pushing her male partner into a chest freezer. A real-life freezer incorporated into the piece was removed twice after the artwork was discovered.

The mural was subsequently relocated to the town’s Dreamland theme park, which said it remains “accessible to all those who want to come and enjoy it”.

Banksy has recently undertaken philanthropic projects for Ukraine. Last December, the artist announced they had created 50 screenprints that would be sold to raise funds for a charity supporting the people of Ukraine.

The artist previously said they had spent time in the country since the Russian invasion, after posting a video of an artist spray-painting designs and speaking to local people.

Contributor

Nadeem Badshah

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Council removes part of Banksy domestic violence artwork
Council removes broken freezer that formed part of work that artist confirmed was genuine

Tobi Thomas

14, Feb, 2023 @7:09 PM

Article image
Banksy mural rescued by Hull window cleaner
Artwork on raised bridge in the City of Culture was painted over by vandals

Josh Halliday North of England correspondent

29, Jan, 2018 @10:25 AM

Article image
Banksy confirms he is behind Port Talbot mural
Street artist strikes again with artwork of child under ash shower in Welsh steel town

Steven Morris

19, Dec, 2018 @5:12 PM

Article image
Banksy painting saved from derelict container on Dungeness beach
Image, which had been painted over, was at risk after site owners EDF Energy revealed plans to clean up the Kent beach

Dalya Alberge

19, Jan, 2018 @3:53 PM

Article image
Freezer removed from Banksy domestic violence artwork for second time
Gallery puts chest freezer from Margate mural into storage for safe keeping

Tobi Thomas

16, Feb, 2023 @12:56 PM

Article image
Welsh first minister defends locking away Banksy mural
Port Talbot artwork Season’s Greetings removed from public display after brief showing

Steven Morris

20, Dec, 2019 @1:06 PM

Article image
Banksy Brexit mural of man chipping away at EU flag appears in Dover
Artwork confirmed as genuine is reclusive artist’s first comment on vote to leave EU and comes at time of increasing tensions

Hannah Ellis-Petersen

08, May, 2017 @11:32 AM

Article image
Street artist claims he created ‘Banksy artwork’ bought for £250,000
Liverpool artist Silent Bill says he stencilled work depicting rat that was auctioned for Channel 4 TV show

Daniel Boffey Chief reporter

10, May, 2023 @3:33 PM

Article image
Banksy online auction for Ukraine targeted by ‘hostile attacks’ from Russia
Legacy of War Foundation says there were 3,500 rogue registrations for £5,000 limited edition screenprints

Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent

10, Jan, 2023 @3:53 PM

Article image
Kent council returns freezer to Banksy’s Valentine’s Day artwork
Local authority in Margate said it had removed installation to make it safe

Nadeem Badshah

15, Feb, 2023 @6:44 PM