Issue section:
Issue:
Kezler Gallery, the Hamptons, US
Above is a picture of street artist Banksy's "Stop and Search", a mural in Bethlehem, Palestine. Except that it is no longer in Palestine - it's been removed to be exhibited and sold on at a gallery in the Hamptons, an upmarket area near New York in the US. The current asking price is $450,000.
It is not the only work by Banksy that has been stolen from Palestine.
The fact that Banksy is famous the world over for his politically motivated site-specific art was clearly deemed unimportant by those out to make a quick profit. Banksy himself has denounced the removal and sale of this work.
Noel Halifax discusses more examples of the looting of public art in this issue here