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He may be the world’s most famous street artist, but that doesn’t mean murals by Banksy stick around for that long. He’s done plenty of spraying around London over the years (including this new one), only for most of it to be painted over and lost forever. But, dotted here and there throughout the city, there are those that have survived – some in better shape than others. Here’s a list of what you should look out for on your urban art perambulations.
Good condition Banksy
Rat, Tooley Street, SE1
Just where Tooley Street meets the underpass beneath London Bridge is this little rat – one of many that Banksy has left around London over the years. They’re kind of like his minions, wreaking havoc across the city.
‘You Lose’ rat, Steelyard Passage, EC4
At the eastern end of this passage running beneath Cannon Street Rail is this guy, holding a sign saying ‘You Lose’. Who’s losing? The squares who’d like to see this removed! Loserrrrrrs.
‘I Love Robbo’ rat, Chiswell St, EC1
This rodent on this City street is holding a sign saying ‘I Love Robbo’, a reference to King Robbo, another famous street artist. Hard to say if this is sincere or not: the two had a famous feud until the latter’s death in 2014. They even went so far as to repeatedly paint over each other’s work along a stretch of Regent’s Canal in Camden.
‘Always Fail’ rat, Farringdon Road, EC1.
Stationed outside the Mount Pleasant Mail Centre in London, the rat’s slogan – now barely visible – is apparently a reference to the Royal Mail’s nickname. Seems even Banksy needs to let off steam when his friends’ birthday cards arrive late.
Helicopter, Old Street, EC2
Okay, this one’s largely out of sight now that an extension has been added to the building. But Banksy’s pink bow-wearing helicopter can still be viewed. If, perhaps, you have your own helicopter.
Graffiti area, Cargo, EC2
This one has been given a proper bit of TLC, having been protected under a sheet of perspex in the beer garden of nightclub Cargo, away from the hands of its, er, ‘overexcited’ patrons.
Falling shopper, Bruton Street, W1
Taking the idea of ‘shop till you drop’ to a literal extreme, this mural has survived unscathed because it’s a couple of storeys above street level, and out of reach.
The Royal Family, Stoke Newington Church Street, N16
Blur fans will recognise this one from the cover of their 2003 single ‘Crazy Beat’. This was nearly lost forever after workmen from Hackney Council started painting over it in 2009, but after locals protested, it has more or less survived.
‘My Tap’s Been Phoned’, Chrisp Street, E14
This piece along the Poplar market road has been executed beside a water tap, and is a little twist on the press’s phone hacking scandal.
Worse-for-wear Banksy
Graffiti painter, Cambridge Gardens, W10
Located at the corner of Portobello Road, this dandyish artist is looking a bit worse for wear these days, having been tagged and scrawled over a few times.
Cash machine, Rosebery Avenue, EC1
This creepy ATM, with its robotic pincer arm grabbing hold of a little girl, was clearly too much for the people of Clerkenwell: it’s been partially painted over with rollers.
‘Very Little Helps’, Essex Road, N1
Banksy’s mural of a group of kids raising a Tesco bag up a flagpole has since been scribbled over, with the bag replaced with a ‘King Robbo’ tag, but is still visible as a whole.
Fishing child, Bermondsey Wall, SE16
Quaint riverside fishing scene? Not quite: this urchin has just pulled a syringe out of the Thames. You’ll have to squint to find this one – it’s nearly completely faded into non-existence.
Spotted any Banksy artworks that didn’t make it onto the list? Sorry, even geniuses like us have off days. Tweet us at @TimeOutArt.