American artist Ron English, who just bagged himself a Banksy for the sweet sum of $730,000 has vowed to paint over the artwork in an act of protest, Sky News reports.
The piece, which is titled “Slave Labour,” was originally painted on the side of a Poundland (the UK equivalent of a dollar store) which was widely believed to be protesting against sweatshops used to manufacture souvenirs for the London Olympics. The piece depicted a young child kneeling down before a sewing machine, surrounded by Union Jack flags, and was removed in 2013.
English told Sky News, “My idea for this painting is to whitewash it for my good pal Banksy, I only wish I could’ve spent more money for it.” He also stated that street art “shouldn’t be bought and sold.”
“I’m going to paint over it and just include it in one of the walls in my house,” English continued. “We’re tired of people stealing our stuff off the streets and re-selling it so I’m just going to buy everything I can get my hands on and whitewash it.”
He then winked, “Of course I’ll sell the whitewash painting for a million dollars. I’m crazy but I’m not stupid.”
Do you think street art should be sold or left where it is? Share your thoughts in the comments.
In other news, this luxury bunker shows how the super rich will survive the apocalypse.
