Recoved Banksy graffiti from Hostomel to go on display at Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

Source:“Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” National Reserve

A mural created by elusive British artist Banksy on the wall of the house in war-torn Hostomel now finds its new home in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve. The stencil image of a person in a nightgown and gas mask holding a fire extinguisher was recovered after it was ripped off from the wall by a gang of thieves.

In its statement revealing the news, the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra said, “This Banksy work symbolizes the horror and protest against Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine…Here, in a Lavra now freed from Russian spiritual influence, this graffiti will be preserved in ‘open storage,’ making it accessible for public viewing.”

TheBanksy’s artwork will be be placed next ot a piece of the 11th century graffiti showing a caricature image of one of the Dormition Cathedral builders, which is often referred to as a “harmless act of thousand-year-old hooliganism.”

The Lavra added, “It’s fascinating to see the parallel between modern graffiti and the ancient drawings, separated by a thousand years. Just as then, graffiti today remains a form of resistance, and Banksy continues this tradition in the face of a modern war.”