London’s Museums Offer Sanctuary for Rare Artifacts Including the Banksy Piranha Sculpture
PA Media
Banksy’s piranha artwork will be permanently displayed at the newly opened Smithfield premises of the London Museum next year. The piece features a police sentry box transformed into an aquarium containing fierce fish, belonging to his animal-themed series that appeared across London last summer.
Nine artworks in total were showcased over nine days in August 2024, including:
- A rhino mounting a car
- Two elephants with their trunks stretched towards each other
- Three monkeys swinging on a bridge
The London Museum acquired the piranha piece after the City of London Corporation decided to donate it. Sharon Ament, director of the museum said: “The only thing better than having Banksys artwork appear on our walls is displaying his work inside.
“No other artist connects with people so profoundly, with such vigour, humour and honesty as Banksy does,” she added.
Banksy brings art to the streets, making it accessible for everyone. The sentry box was in Ludgate Hill since the 1990s before being relocated to Guildhall Yard when Banksy confirmed he had created the artwork.
Director Ament mentioned that after temporarily storing it in London Museum’s stores, the piece will be placed in its final location. According to a report from PA Media, 222m has been allocated by City of London Corporation for relocating the museum and developing Barbican Centre. The new attraction is expected to attract two million visitors every year while creating more than 1500 jobs.
Sharon Ament said this acquisition was “a great gift” for people in London. Banksy’s presence on the city’s streets creates an engaging moment of wonder and delight for residents, making art accessible and relevant to everyone.
