Banksy Hoard Revealed in Swiss Embassy Carpark After 25 Years
For the past twenty-five years, a set of genuine Banksy murals has been concealed in the basement parking area of the Swiss Embassy in London. A photographer captured these artworks in 2021, which were commissioned for a New Generation event in December 2000, taking place in 2001. The collection features around fifteen pieces, including a group of monkeys, two police figures, Mickey Mouse wielding a flamethrower, and a depiction of an assassination attempt on the Mona Lisa, with the ceiling inscription reading Disco Inferno. Some pieces reinterpret earlier works, while others by different artists remain unexposed. Recently, an RTS documentary showcased this collection before the embassy's planned renovations. The reason for one mural's absence from online documentation remains unclear.
Key facts
- The Swiss Embassy in London houses about fifteen Banksy works in its basement carpark.
- The paintings were created in December 2000 for a New Generation event in 2001.
- A photographer and Shoreditch Street Art Tour guide documented the garage in 2021 with embassy permission.
- RTS, Swiss state television, aired a documentary on the garage ahead of a building refurbishment.
- The works include a trio of monkeys, two police officers, Mickey Mouse with a flamethrower, and a Mona Lisa assassination scene.
- The ceiling caption names the party Disco Inferno.
- Some pieces are remixed from earlier Banksy works, such as a bulldog and poodle from the Cargo site.
- Other artists' works, including a portrait by Snug, remain out of public view.
Entities
Artists
- Banksy
- Chu
- Snug
Institutions
- Swiss Embassy in London
- RTS
- Pest Control
- Shoreditch Street Art Tour
- New Generation
- Artlyst
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Switzerland
- Manchester
- Barton Hill
- Cargo
Sources
- Artlyst —