Banksy

I’m not thrilled with this picture but it’s as good as I’m going to get right now!

I drove into Reading for an appointment today. I’ve not been there for months. There’s been a lot of excitement about a painting that appeared overnight on the wall of what once was Reading Prison (previously Reading Gaol). It’s a building of historical significance and there’s been a big battle to save it from destruction as developers want to built on the land. Banksy has acknowledged that he is responsible for the painting and you can see an interesting video here of him creating it in the dead of night. The painting likely depicts the writer Oscar Wilde who was one of the most well-known prisoners. It shows a prisoner escaping with a typewriter at the end of the bedsheet.

Since I was nearby I walked over to take a look. I wish I’d been able to see it when it was new because now it has been defaced. Which really angers me! And there’s another recent Banksy in Reading which has also been defaced. WHY?? Now there is a barrier around the painting and a security guard patrols it. I did get closer than this but the barrier prevents a decent picture. I did try!

So here you have a distance view. At least it shows the entirety of the building! I got to visit the inside a few years ago when it was open to the public for a very short time. I found it fascinating. My blip is here.

Behind the Victorian structure that was once Reading Gaol is the more recent building called The Blade.

It was a beautiful sunny morning but the clouds rolled in this afternoon and the wind started up making my outing feel quite chilly. It’s hard to believe that we are due a short heatwave next week! Just in time too, since from Monday Lockdown rules are easing slightly and we will be able to have very small groups together outdoors, even in our own gardens. Looking forward to that!