Is Banksy being forced out of New York City?
On Wednesday morning, a week after the Mayor Bloomberg called him out, the mysterious street artist Banksy posted on his website to let everyone know that “Today’s art has been canceled due to police activity.”
Banksy began his month-long “residency” on October 1, and said he planned to produce a work-a-day for the entire month. So far, he has painted walls in every borough, sent out two traveling installations, organized performances, anonymously sold his art, and more.
On October 16, photos surfaced with the tag-line “I found Banksy.” The photos, taken at his Red Hook warehouse, revealed a man who looked strikingly similar to a 2008 photo that speculated about the artist's identity. Since then, the NYPD has made it a priority to capture the artist by milling over surveillance footage in areas Banksy’s work has appeared. Mayor Bloomberg agreed that the “vandal” must be caught and charged with vandalism.
Banksy’s post on Wednesday suggests the NYPD is serious about its investigation -- or it's a piece of art in itself, and he's playing yet another trick on the public.
The question now is: will Banksy be able to make it to the end of the month without giving up or getting caught? Follow The Daily Beast's interactive timeline to find out.
