To anyone who is even remotely into street art, Banksy is a name that has been etched in the memory forever. However, that doesn&rsquot quite hold true for his artworks all over Britain. The elusive street artist has had quite a few of his works painted over and vandalised.
The coronavirus-themed artwork he did earlier this year&mdasha series of his iconic rats sneezing and spraying anti-viral gel&mdashwas removed soon after in accordance with Transport for London&rsquos anti-graffiti policy.
The Bristol-born graffiti artist has spawned plenty of hacks and copies, too, in the three decades he has been active in.
Naturally, it can be a challenge to actually go out and discover a genuine Banksy. However, a map that was released by the street art website Inspiring City, can be used to track all the major Banksy mural locations in the UK, including the rough neighbourhood of Barton Hill, where the enigmatic artist had his beginnings.
However, this map came out in August earlier this year isn&rsquot the only way to see the artist&rsquos work. Google Street View can be used to explore his most famous murals&mdashjust as you would, walking the streets of Britain. Be it his parody of Vermeer&rsquos Girl with an Earring in Bristol, a fine example of how Banksy utilizes existing elements on walls, incorporating them into his work, or the one that says This Wall is a Designated Graffiti Area.
The best part of the experience is that Google Street View needs you to roam around a little bit if you want to locate a mural through the platform. So, one has to 'walk' to Hackney's Rivington Street to witness the amusing Designated Graffiti Area piece. Those who wish to discover the artist's remaining murals in his native Bristol could also explore Banksy Bristol Trail, an app that lets you go on an immersive virtual walk as well.
Here's waiting with bated breath for similar maps for the fabulous street art districts back home such as the one in Delhi's Lodhi Road (check out this photo essay), smatterings in Bandra and Dharavi in Mumbai, and cities such as Goa, Pondicherry and Kochi.