Banksy mural leaves Port Talbot to be displayed in England

Street artist Banksy’s mural ‘Season’s Greetings’ that appeared on a garage in Port Talbot in 2018 is to leave the town for an exhibition in Peterborough instead.

Neath Port Talbot Council says that the temporary agreement between themselves and art dealer John Brandler to house his Banksy artwork Season’s Greetings in an unoccupied shop unit in Port Talbot’s town centre is coming to an end. 

Owner, John Brandler however says that the decision to remove the work from Port Talbot has been “forced upon him” by the council as “there was such a demand for commercial space” in the area.

He said: “I didn’t instigate the removal of the Banksy, the council did and I wish them the best success for the town in the commercial space.”

The Banksy appeared on the walls of a Taibach garage in December 2018 sparking widespread interest and the Welsh Government paid for around-the-clock security while its future was decided.

The piece was purchased by Essex based Mr Brandler with the Welsh Government agreeing to pay for the valuable artwork to be moved at its expense to a new unoccupied retail unit in Ty’r Orsaf, Port Talbot, where it could be viewed by members of the public. That arrangement terminates on January 14^th next year and it is understood that Season’s Greetings is to feature in a street art exhibition in Peterborough due to start next month.

Neath Port Talbot Council say they want to thank Pobl for its agreement to house the Banksy since 2018, giving many people the chance to view the piece. Since its appearance and its subsequent display in the town centre, it has  sparked great interest in street art generally within the County Borough and has led to the development of further street art works in Port Talbot in particular, which the council supports.

In a statement, the council added: “The council wishes the owner of Season’s Greetings well and is grateful so many people had the chance to view it here in the time it was loaned to us. The future of Season’s Greetings is now of course a matter for Mr Brandler.”

In an additional statement, the Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council Cllr Ted Latham said: “I feel that because of the range of misinformation that is currently circulating regarding the impending departure of the Banksy mural Season’s Greetings, it is now appropriate to set the record straight. 

“When the council made enquiries as to plans for the piece, given the temporary arrangement to house it at Pobl’s Ty’r Orsaf building is due to end in January next year, the council was informed it would now be moved to Peterborough where an exhibition of street art is due to be held, starting from next month.

“Discussions were held on future arrangements and the potential for the work to remain in Port Talbot, but the council was informed it would have to meet the costs of its removal and installation into the new venue, to continue to cover the insurance and to pay a fee in the region of £100,000 per year for the loan of the work. 

“It has been estimated the cost of removal and relocation to another venue (even without insurance to cover the operation to move it) of Season’s Greetings would be around £50,000.”

(Lead Image: FruitMonkey / Wikimedia)