Banksy's 'Parachuting Rat' in Melbourne Destroyed

The works of enigmatic and world-renowned street artist Banksy rarely last long enough to be appreciated, as they are either vandalized, painted over, or outright destroyed. Until recently, Banksy’s 2003 Parachuting Rat work was one of his last remaining works in Melbourne; however it was just accidentally destroyed by a construction crew who were fitting a cafe with piping and drilled over the piece. Apparently the workers who did the drilling had no idea what they had done and were also not aware of the piece’s importance to the local art community. It’s a prime example illustrating the need for a certain level of preservation of iconic street art — but at the same time, doesn’t much of the beauty of street art lie in the appreciation of its fleeting, and often temporary existence? What do you think?

Source: The Australian