Banksy’s Valentine’s Day Mascara is back in Margate at its latest ‘home’ The WonderWorks – The Isle Of Thanet News

Banksy mural Valentine’s Day Mascara is back in Margate and will be unveiled at The WonderWorks in Hornby today {13. December}.

The mural first appeared on a property in Margate’s Park Place on February 13 last year. The piece was then removed the following month, overseen by Red Eight Gallery, who were called in by the artist’s owners of the property to deal with the conservation and sale of the work.

It was taken to Dreamland and unveiled in June 2023, with an announcement in August that the park would be the permanent home of the artwork following a decision to sell it by issuing shares.

Exhibition piece announced a ‘fractional ownership’ plan for the play, which has been valued at £6m, with 27,000 shares costing £120 each.

In September 2023, the work, which weighs around 3.8 tonnes, was on its way to be displayed as one of the 110 works at the Art Of Banksy exhibition on Regent Street.

At the time, Dreamland bosses said: “We expect the artwork to return to Margate to take its place in Dreamland again in early 2024.”

But the art – a commentary on domestic violence, showing a woman with a swollen closed eye and a missing tooth with a man’s leg sticking out of a chest freezer alongside an upturned chair – was then displayed at the Yamaha store in London in early 2024 and remained there until October, when it moved again to the new Yield Gallery venue in Eastcastle Street, London.

Discussions took place with a potential buyer for the piece and it is understood negotiations are continuing, but in the meantime it has returned to Margate and will be available for public viewing.

There is also a ‘mini’ Bansky on display that has been created and installed next to the Scalextric race track at The WonderWorks.

Olly Raeburn, managing director of Hornby Hobbies, said: “Banksy’s ‘Valentine’s Day Mascara’ has a special place in Margate’s heart and we are honored to give it a new home at The WonderWorks. This move underlines Hornby’s commitment to the Margate community , which has supported us for seven decades, as well as our dedication to the world of collecting – a world that values ​​precious objects and their stories.”

As a leading name in the hobby business with brands such as Hornby, Airfix, Scalextric and Pocher, Hornby Hobbies says it understands the power of hobbies to bring people together across generations.

Visitors can view the artwork for free from December 13. Free will donations to support Oasis Domestic Abuse Services will be welcomed.

The installation can also get its Peroni beer bottle back after a package containing the dirty bottle was sent to the Yield gallery.

WonderWorks is open every day from 10am to 4pm.