NEW ORLEANS — NEW ORLEANS - There's anger after two famous works of street art were vandalized over the weekend. The pieces, believed to be by British artist 'Banksy,' were completed during a secret visit to the Crescent City in 2008. Now work is being done to help save them.
"The piece to me has less to do with Banksy and more to do with just the spirit of the city," said Carlos Fundora, co-owner of NOLA Art Walk.
On the corner of North Rampart and Kerlerec Streets, is a piece of street art so prized, people from all over come to see it.
"2005 was Katrina and in 2008 Banksy came to do over a dozen pieces around the city," said Jesse Zuefle. "And 'Umbrella Girl' really sums up Katrina because as the levees were supposed to protect New Orleans and did not, the umbrella is supposed to protect you from rain and it's coming from under the umbrella."
Zuefle has worked about nine years to help preserve the piece. He says knowing someone maliciously vandalized it, brings frustration, sadness, and anger.
"They used some kind of power cutter to cut through the polycarbonate," he said. "They didn't remove the whole sheet, but cut out right around her face and spray painted directly on her. Luckily, before I started taking care of her, somebody thought to put a clear coating over the piece which protects it."
The words 'Robbo' were also spray painted near the street art, which gives a clue as to who may have done it.
"King Robbo was an artist in the UK that Banksy had a feud, a playful feud going back and forth for a number of years where they continuously would cover over each other's work, the same peace every time. Eventually King Robbo passed away and Banksy went back and re-did the original piece King Robbo did with a tribute piece connected to it to end the feud. Unfortunately, throughout time, there's been an unofficial organization of people who call themselves Team Robbo who feel it is their job to destroy anything Banksy. It's not an organized movement, just probably some young punks who thought we're going to do the Team Robbo thing.
"It was pretty badly damaged," said Fundora.
Fundora is a friend of Zuefle's, and spent Sunday trying to get it back in shape.
"[This street art] it's something that brings me comfort," Fundora said. "I think it does for a lot of other people as well. I've been out there on so many occasions where people have walked by and admired it. We weren't able to restore the entire piece, but essentially I used a light touch with a sanding sponge and a lot of patience and time. It took more than two-hours to gently clean-off the graffiti."
It took some elbow grease, but he says the hard work has paid off. And while not 100% it's much better than how it was before.
"Preserving it a little while longer was worth the effort," he said. "It's a point of comfort for some, it's a memorial for some, and to have someone come into New Orleans and try and take that away is pretty upsetting."
Work now begins to try and restore 'Grey Ghost,' another Banksy piece believed to be vandalized around the same time, by the same people. It is upsetting, but with the help of those who care, these one-of-a-kind art installations, will live on a bit longer.
"There's a lot to love about New Orleans and I think right now the city is feeling a little bit dull, people are feeling like some of that charm is missing," said Fundora. "And I hope the piece at least hangs around until people have other things they can feel happy about.
