Part of Banksy's new Valentine's Day artwork has already been removed by council workers.
Pictures of the distinctive work, entitled, 'Valentine's Day Mascara', from the mysterious street artist and political activist first began to emerge online on January 13.
Following speculation from locals in Margate, Kent, Banksy's official Instagram page made a post confirming that the internationally renowned artist was behind the piece.
Immediately, it proved to be a rather controversial addition to the Thanet area, with some residents delighted to see the new mural, while others called for its removal.
Now - mere hours after the confirmation that the artwork was in fact from Banksy - an integral part of the piece was removed.
The work features a 1950s-garbed woman standing next to a physical fridge, painted to look as though she is shutting a man inside, reports Kent Live.
Now, the broken freezer - which was very much at the centre of the mural - has been removed. A Thanet District Council spokesman said it had been removed due to safety concerns.
They said: "We are aware that the graffiti artist known as Banksy has confirmed that the mural that has appeared recently in Margate is his. The graffiti is situated on a wall of a privately-owned property. A fridge freezer which is believed to have been part of the installation has been removed by council operatives on the grounds of safety as it was on public land.
"The fridge freezer is now in storage and will be returned once it has been made safe to the public. We will be contacting the owner of the property to discuss the options to preserve the artwork for the district."
A closer look at the painted woman showed that she also has a black eye and a missing tooth, leading many to interpret the piece as a statement about domestic violence.
The Instagram post revealed that the name of the piece is ‘Valentine’s Day Mascara’, a play on the 1929 Valentine’s Day Massacre. Alongside the freezer chest, the artwork also utilised other physical rubble, such as a broken garden cheer and an empty beer bottle.
Pictures from the scene show that these items have also been cleared. Banksy has created art pieces in Kent twice before; one in Dover and the other in Folkestone.
This is also not the first time that Banksy created Valentine’s themed artwork, having previously created a piece in Bristol, the speculated home of the artist. Despite creating art since the 1990s, the identity of Banksy remains a mystery.
The most popular belief is that Banksy is either Bristol artist Robin Gunningham or Rob Del Naja, member of the band Massive Attack. Thanet District Council has been approached for comment.
