A new Banksy artwork has appeared in his hometown – and been vandalised within hours.
The painting is a parody of the famous Girl With A Pearl Earring by the Dutch master Vermeer with a yellow alarm box replacing the earring of the original work.
The elusive artist has called it ‘Girl with a Pierced Eardrum’ and admitted it was his handiwork on his official website on Monday.
But hours later the 15ft-high mural – potentially worth tens of thousands of pounds – had been splattered with black paint.
The new painting was created late on Saturday night and is on the wall of the Dockside Studio on Bristol’s harbourside which is owned by Bristol City Council.
Tenant Ellie Morgan, 47, who is joint owner of the recording studio, said: “It’s a real shame and a bit annoying.
“It was vandalised on Monday night between seven and eight. Someone just snuck down, did it and then snuck off.
“One of the bands that was recording came in and said someone had thrown paint on it. When we went out it was still wet and dripping.
“Banksy had already been back to touch it up once. He had come back to touch up one of the corners as it looks different to what it did first thing on Sunday.
“Hopefully Banksy will come back and touch it up again.
“The paint has splashed across the bottom of the chin. Originally, there was a lot of grey paint down that side.
“Where it was still wet, we thought about trying to clean it off but were worried that putting a hose on it might have damaged the painting.
“It’s really disappointing because there is nothing to gain from doing something like this.”
Banksy’s artwork has been targetted by rival graffiti artists and vandals elsewhere in the country.
‘Art Buff’ in Rochester, Kent had a penis drawn on it while thieves have tried to steal the the ‘Spybooth’ piece in Cheltenham, Glos.
