Banksy is staying!

A statue by Banksy was installed in Waterloo Place a few weeks ago of a man in a suit holding a large flag in front of himself. The flag blows back across his face, so he can't see where he's going as he steps off the plinth. Entitled "Blind Patriotism", this thought provoking work was placed in the dead of night in an up-market part of London outside the exclusive Athenaeum Club (currently shrouded in scaffolding), once described as "one of London's grandest gentlemen's [sic] clubs". Nearby are other statues - memorials of British imperialism from the times of the British Empire.

Representatives of Westminster City Council told the BBC that they found the work to be a "striking addition to the city's vibrant public art scene" and the decision has been made to leave it in place (unlike his last artwork, a mural on the Royal Courts of Justice which was removed very quickly). Banksy is is a pseudonymous street artist, political activist, and film director who has been creating works of political and social commentary for over 30 years. You might not like his work, but it always causes a reaction and discussion and this statue is certainly proving popular with tourists and locals alike,