british street artist banksy has gifted his hometown of bristol with a valentine’s day mural. spotted on thursday morning (february 13, 2020) on the side of a house in the english town, the piece of street art depicts a girl holding a slingshot pointed towards an explosion of bright red flowers.

 

banksy took credit for the work on his instagram by publishing a picture of the mural at midnight on valentine’s day. that same evening, the owner of the building covered it with a sheet of protective plexiglass. 

 

local council member afzal shah, told the BBC it could ‘potentially attract great tourism and interest, which will be welcomed by local residents, community groups, and, of course, local businesses.’

banksy surprises with valentine's day-themed mural in hometown bristol

images courtesy of banksy

 

last summer, the artist created a mural in the welsh town of port talbot, attracting over 20,000 visitors in just three weeks. it prompted the owner michael lewis to invest in fencing and guards, as well as local shop owners to start selling souvenirs and other merchandise of the artwork.

 

in december 2019, the anonymous artist highlighted the issue of rough sleeping with a mural in the central english city of birmingham. it showed two reindeer ascending into the air seemingly pulling a homeless man who was asleep on a public bench.

 

project info

 

artist: banksy
piece: valentine’s day mural
location: barton hill, bristol, UK