SOLONOI Unites with Fine Art Shippers to Restore the Banksy Mural
In February 2024, Fine Art Shippers, a professional art shipping company based in New York, was entrusted with the important project of Banksy mural relocation to Bridgeport, СT, from the South Bronx, NY. The mural titled “Ghetto 4 Life” appeared on the wall of one of the buildings in 2013. The relocation decision followed over a decade of the mural’s existence in the streets of the Bronx, but the task of its extraction and shipment appeared to be both technically challenging and delicate.
The Fine Art Shippers team partnered with Chesakl, a structural steel company, which provided comprehensive technical support at the important stages of wall extraction, framing, and relocation. Once the Banksy wall was moved to its new location in Bridgeport, the next step presupposed its restoration and brush-up after many years of aggressive impacts of the external environment.
Next Step: Banksy Mural Restoration
To perform the restoration task, Fine Art Shippers contacted the Canadian gallery SOCIÉTÉ ART VILLERAY that referred them to SOLONOI, an artist duo with a wide spectrum of unique talents and skills. SOLONOI is represented by Emile Vidmar and Pascal Vaillancourt, known in the artistic world under the pseudonyms of “The Chemist” and “Mr. Pink” respectively.
The unique experience of SOLONOI in bridging street art and gallery art contributed greatly to the effective partnership on the Banksy mural restoration, and Emile Vidmar and Pascal Vaillancourt arrived from Canada personally to take part in the project.
What Was Done?
The meticulous process of restoration involved a thorough initial assessment, which helped SOLONOI identify the scope of work. They performed comprehensive wall cleaning with soft brushes and air guns to remove the layer of dust, dirt, and debris from the Banksy mural. The team also added a UV silicone finishing layer to the entire wall to minimize the effect of external factors on the image’s quality and prevent flaking and fading. The artwork was shaded throughout the entire process of brush-up to guarantee high-quality restoration outcomes.
The joint project of Fine Art Shippers and SOLONOI is now over, with Banksy’s famous mural receiving an efficient brush-up that is sure to prolong its life and guarantee that people can admire it for many years to come. Let’s wait for the official opening of the mural that, hopefully, will take place soon.