Banksy's Birmingham mural transforms homeless man into Santa, later vandalized

Banksy unveiled a new mural in Birmingham, UK, featuring a homeless man named Ryan lying on a bench, which the artist transformed into Santa's sleigh with two painted reindeer on the wall behind. In an Instagram post, Banksy noted that passersby gave Ryan hot drinks, chocolate bars, and a lighter without him asking. The artwork, accompanied by Joy Williams' 'I'll Be Home for Christmas,' aimed to highlight homelessness during the holiday season. Days later, the mural was vandalized with red noses drawn on the reindeer, reported by Twitter account @IAmBirmingham. Banksy has not commented on the vandalism. This follows his recent interventions in Venice: a mural of a child shipwreck survivor near Campo Santa Margherita, partially submerged during high tide, and a video of an unauthorized street stall selling Venetian-style paintings of a cruise ship, where he was confronted by police. Banksy's Venice posts criticized the Biennale and cruise ships.