Day 3 of ‘Banksygate’ – A Gate Protects Banksy’s Bronx Piece

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I wonder if they'll start charging soon?

The absurdity in Melrose just increased a few notches. The building owner has installed a gate to cover and protect Banksy’s “Ghetto 4 Life” piece on East 153rd and Elton.

Here sits a really beautiful building vacant for decades – with the exception of ground floor commercial space – and rather than fix up the building for residential units, the landlord would spend the money to protect a Banksy.

I bet he wouldn’t have done it for a Tats Cru. Oh wait, that’s right. Because Tats Cru is respected and no one would deface it, you see, they’re part of our family here in the Bronx and not just some globetrotting individual who obviously has the financial means to do what he does.

Head on over to the New York Times for a little history and art lesson on street art aka graffiti. David Gonzalez, a real South Bronx hero and cultural icon, wrote a wonderful story in the Lens Blog:

Street Art From The South Bronx to Soweto

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Someone slapped this sticker right next to the Banksy on E 153rd and Elton in Melrose. It pretty much sums up how locals feel and yes they do know who Banksy is but having grown up in the heart of where graff was born, we tend to look at this as rather pedestrian.
Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.