ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2024

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I kind of feel that this piece of graffiti is meant to be a bit of a dig at the zoo, i.e the gorilla helping the animals escape from their imprisonment? A subliminal message to would-be visitors...or am I reading too much into it?

Edit: This is what Banksy had to say about some graffiti he did in Barcelona Zoo

A Spanish kid had translated ‘Laugh now but one day we’ll be in charge’ for me on a small piece of paper. I got the paint out ready to write this in three-foot-high animal-like handwriting across the back wall, only to find I no longer had the piece of paper.
Crouching next to a huge pile of dung my mid froze up. I can order larger in Spanish but not much else. I couldn’t even think of how you would write “Help us” in any languages than English but that seemed a bit rude. I checked my watch for the fifteenth time and then figured this was my best option – ticking off the time in classic jailhouse style.
I weighed in five cans of fat black, scrawling this over every available surface of the entire enclosure. Then crept away quietly.
By the time I got up the following afternoon I didn't get any photos of the elephant enclosure. Emergency cleaners had been working hard on it and covered up the rest with plastic sheeting. It's frustrating when the only people with good photos of your work are the police department.' – Banksy

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=AZUUjriRx5qs4z9B9xACt7fSIkxt8-p9DL6bZ0wC4Jj--oOc1QXW92-lsW1ZRTrBD61iwmq4cjCzFgqLoQdWDuzEL2ymIMfZdZJqfVrJe59jD2tb46rILo7F9DNDV6Ntj-J1Vfucpns3IVTYgP3QlG0qlgazRZu0grLDaTnjnOIKk3iZknueiYXOZzZUvWpQhN30cKKj5kOMY8hxCFJmEWa1SxcnTvEbuGTw6X5G6OsuUA&__tn__=EH-R']
 
Ned said:
Just another thought; any chance the zoo could sell this for a large sum of money and use the proceeds for something useful?
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They seem to be planning to keep it, moving it elsewhere at sometime, which is a good thing as it’ll bring people to the zoo to see it. But it’s only been there a day so…

The whole package seems to be more about joy than an anti zoo message.
 
polarbear said:
They seem to be planning to keep it, moving it elsewhere at sometime, which is a good thing as it’ll bring people to the zoo to see it. But it’s only been there a day so…

The whole package seems to be more about joy than an anti zoo message.
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I agree all the new animal themed works seem quite playful and fun. There’s a rhino mating with a Nissan Micra in another one of the eight he’s done in the past week or so for example. I hope they leave it for people to enjoy vs selling it to a collector where it won’t be seen. It’s a great talking point for the entrance or wherever they site it.
 
I agree, I initially thought it was anti-zoo but looking at it again, it's equally possible to interpret it as the gorilla giving the public a peek into the zoo.

Regardless, a coup for the zoo. I hope they remove it (before it inevitably gets stolen) and site it somewhere within the zoo grounds where it can be seen by the public from outside.
 
Lafone said:
There’s a rhino mating with a Nissan Micra in another one of the eight he’s done in the past week or so for example.
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Sadly the Micra’s mysteriously “disappeared” along with some of the other works. The rhino now looks like it’s standing on tiptoe!

If the rumours are to be believed, perhaps ZSL could remove it and place it in the museum that’s planned. Otherwise I fear, inevitably, some killjoy’s going to have their way with it.
 
Panthera1981 said:
Sadly the Micra’s mysteriously “disappeared” along with some of the other works. The rhino now looks like it’s standing on tiptoe!

If the rumours are to be believed, perhaps ZSL could remove it and place it in the museum that’s planned. Otherwise I fear, inevitably, some killjoy’s going to have their way with it.
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Yes, vandalised and stolen seem to be the way these have gone including the Rhino (which was also sprayed with graffiti). Hopefully London will secure theirs inside somewhere.
 
Panthera1981 said:
Well that’s certainly publicity money can’t buy! However, maybe someone should’ve told Banksy sea lions left the collection a long time ago!:p
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I initially took a different slant on the possible message behind Banksy's current animal iorks in London, hinted at by the gorilla letting animals leave the zoo - former animals - elephants, rhino, sealions, wolf, piranhas, mountain goat - have gone. However, spider monkeys and pelicans remain - so bang goes that theory!
 
Ned said:
I kind of feel that this piece of graffiti is meant to be a bit of a dig at the zoo, i.e the gorilla helping the animals escape from their imprisonment? A subliminal message to would-be visitors...or am I reading too much into it?

Edit: This is what Banksy had to say about some graffiti he did in Barcelona Zoo

A Spanish kid had translated ‘Laugh now but one day we’ll be in charge’ for me on a small piece of paper. I got the paint out ready to write this in three-foot-high animal-like handwriting across the back wall, only to find I no longer had the piece of paper.
... I checked my watch for the fifteenth time and then figured this was my best option – ticking off the time in classic jailhouse style.
Click to expand...

I don't know for sure what point Banksy is trying to make about zoos, zoo animals and/or humans, but, FWIW, the vast majority of comments from viewers of his Instagram page are depressingly childish in their "set all the animals free now" tone. And judging from @Ned 's quote, Banksy seems similarly minded. If so, maybe ZSL would be better off selling it and using the proceeds for conservation work.
 
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