Banksy’s artwork featuring piranhas will be permanently showcased starting next year at the London Museum when it opens its new location in Smithfield.
The piece showcases aggressive fish transforming a police sentry box into an aquarium, and was part of the artist’s animal-themed collection that appeared throughout the city last summer.
Over the span of nine days in August 2024, nine pieces were unveiled, including a rhino perched on a vehicle, two elephants reaching out to each other with their trunks, and three monkeys swinging from a bridge.
The museum secured the piranha artwork after the City of London Corporation decided to donate it to the institution.
Sharon Ament, the museum’s director, expressed that “the only thing that could surpass a Banksy showing up on our walls is having one on display indoors.”
She further remarked, “No artist resonates with audiences quite like Banksy does, with his energy, wit, and authenticity.
“When a Banksy occurs in your neighborhood, it’s always a significant moment.
“Banksy brings art into public spaces, making it accessible to everyone.”
The sentry box had stood in Ludgate Hill since the 1990s before being moved to Guildhall Yard once Banksy confirmed his involvement with the artwork.
Initially, it will be temporarily housed in the museum’s storage before finding its permanent home.
The City of London Corporation has invested £222 million in the museum’s relocation, which anticipates welcoming two million visitors annually and creating over 1,500 jobs, along with support for the Barbican Centre.
Ms. Ament referred to the acquisition as “a wonderful gift for the citizens of London.”
