On the morning of June 1st, residents of the Catalans district in Marseille were met with an unpleasant surprise. Just days after spotting a new artwork from the elusive street artist Banksy , a crude obscene tag was painted around his celebrated stencil of a lighthouse. The graffiti depicted two testicles crudely drawn, sparking outrage and concern among fans of the artwork. This incident came merely days after its unveiling on the walls of this quiet street in the 7th arrondissement of Marseille.
Restoration by Richard Campana, Local Painter
Fortunately, the degradation was swiftly addressed. By midday, the Banksy artwork—a lighthouse shadow cast by a simple rotund figure, accompanied by a mysterious phrase “ I want to be what you saw in me ”—was once again visible. Agnès Perrone, a heritage decorator, explained, “We had started applying an anti-graffiti varnish yesterday to protect the piece. It takes four layers for effective protection, and the tagging occurred during the night.”
The other dedicated individual tasked with restoring the now-famous stencil was Richard Campana , a Marseille-based painter and illustrator. Campana had previously created several murals in the same street nearly twenty years ago. He expressed his sentiments, stating, “I feel like I am contributing to a beautiful artistic gesture. It brings me joy to do this.”
“Are We Sure It’s Truly a Banksy?”
Surrounding the restoration scene, dozens of onlookers immortalized the artwork on their phones while bombarding the two restorers with questions. “But are we sure it’s really a Banksy?” queried a tourist visiting from Lyon. “Ah yes, he validated it on his Instagram account; we are certain,” assured Agnès Perrone.
Indeed, the work of this elusive street artist had been discovered just hours after a cryptic post appeared on Banksy’s Instagram account, claiming the artwork without any further commentary. “Banksy likely came here to pay homage to his deceased mentor,” Agnès remarked in response to another curious passerby.
Banksy’s creations have fetched tens of millions of dollars, securing his status as one of the most recognized living artists in the world. Known for his humanitarian activism and masterful grasp of urban art, Banksy continues to evoke fascination and admiration within the art community.
Richard Campana, the Marseille painter, intervened yesterday to restore the damaged work of Banksy.
/ PHOTO Olivier Lafont
In a society deeply influenced by modern art, the revival of Banksy’s work in Marseille exemplifies the resilience of artistic expression. Not only did it rally the local community around a restored masterpiece, but it also sparked enlightening conversations about the nature of street art and the dilemmas it frequently faces in urban settings. The swift action taken to protect Duncan’s artwork reflects the collective appreciation for creativity and the urgency to preserve it, even when faced with inappropriate defacement.