A Single Mural Causes 'Billions' in Housing Price Surge... Banksy's New Artwork Revealed "So Easy"

Banksy's New Work Appears on the Wall of Reading Prison in the UK / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] The 'faceless painter' Banksy has made a surprise appearance this time at an old prison in the UK. Banksy, who 'certified' his work through an SNS video, sparked another sensation by unexpectedly featuring 'Bob Ross' while explaining this piece.

On the 4th (local time), Banksy posted a video on his social media revealing his new work.

The revealed artwork was found on the wall of the old Reading Prison in Reading, Berkshire, England, on the morning of the 1st. It depicts a man wearing striped prison clothes sliding down a tied bed sheet rope. At the bottom of the rope, paper and a typewriter are hanging.

When this mural was unveiled, local media and experts predicted, "There is a high probability that this painting is Banksy's new work." The now-closed prison was where Irish poet and novelist Oscar Wilde was imprisoned from 1895 to 1897 under the charge of homosexuality. This led to speculation that the escapee in the painting might be Wilde.

Bob Ross / Photo by YouTube related video capture

Banksy's SNS 'certification' confirmed these speculations. On the 4th, Banksy introduced his new work by posting a video on his SNS showing himself painting the escapee mural. What draws attention is that Bob Ross appears in the beginning and end of the video, as well as in the narration.

Bob Ross was a painter who gained great popularity by appearing on the 1983 television program 'The Joy of Painting.' He is also well-known in Korea by the nickname 'Bob Ajusshi.' His habit of finishing paintings easily and saying, "How about that, it's easy, right?" became a popular catchphrase online.

Local media such as BBC News reported, "(Watching the video) it looks as if Banksy and Bob Ross are painting together," and added, "It seems Banksy painted this mural to support Reading City's campaign to transform the area, including the old Reading Prison, into an art district."

Meanwhile, Banksy is famous as a 'faceless artist' based in the UK. He is known for drawing graffiti with social messages on streets, walls, and bridges worldwide and disappearing suddenly, promoting his work by posting photos on social media.

A Banksy mural painted in a residential area last December.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

He is known for satirical paintings on war, poverty, and the environment, and has attracted attention with bold moves such as secretly hanging his paintings in famous art museums. In December last year, a mural painted in a residential area was confirmed to be Banksy's work, causing the house price to soar from 600 million won to 7.2 billion won overnight, proving the 'Banksy effect.'

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.