Provocative Banksy graffiti with the police, drug users were drawn in almost immediately after the appearance. The new owners of the building found it, was restored and will soon return to its original place

More than ten years ago on the wall of a public toilet in the borough of Hackney, in East London, appeared Banksy graffiti depicting a police officer sniffing cocaine. Almost immediately, the graffiti was painted what-то vandal, then the Council of the borough of Hackney has tried to clean it up, and in the end who is-то painted over it completely with white paint. But the image, called Snorting Copper, have time to take pictures. Graffiti was published in two books about Banksy, two times played (probably not by Banksy, and his fans), but nobody knew about the whereabouts of the source.

In the end the building with Banksy graffiti has changed several owners, and in a derelict state fell to developers Jonathan Ellis and David Kite, who decided to transform it together with an extension of former toilets into an office and living space. And here from the locals they heard about when-то former work of Banksy. Painted over with white paint the mural was discovered under a sheet of plywood. "The irony is that what work was painted over and boarded up with plywood, had saved her from destruction," — commented on the discovery of one of the developers.

To possess genuine Banksy graffiti Ellis and the Kite came with great responsibility. They cut a piece of the wall with the mural, weighing 2.5 tonnes and sent it for restoration in the city of Carlisle, Cumbria. There specialists carefully removed the masking the paint and strengthened the original image.

And although this original Banksy work on the open market can cost up to 1.25 million pounds to sell her owners are not going, but on the contrary, want to return to its original place. Graffiti was placed in a steel case under bulletproof glass, supplied with alarm clock and backlight. "We believe that to give people the opportunity to enjoy this work, will be the right decision. We are proud that we can do it", — say the owners. Solemn presentation of the restored frescoes Snorting Copper at the old place on 5 October.

the Material was prepared by Maria Onuchina, AI

Sources: theguardian.com