New ‘Banksy’ unveiled at Great Yarmouth model village

The new work was first spotted by a visitor at Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Merrivale Model Village
Leah Sinclair9 August 2021

A piece of street art possibly created by Banksy has appeared in East Anglia.

The new work was first spotted by a visitor at Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on Sunday morning.

It features a miniature stable depicting a small rodent that appears to be standing on a wooden wheel placed by the building.

The small stable features the phrase “Go big or go home” on one side, in red spray paint, and Banksy’s name on the other.

A post on Merrivale Model Village Facebook page said "Has BANKSY been to Merrivale?

“We awoke this morning to a new addition to our village!

“A model we had never seen before was sitting amongst our little cottages, but it looked as though vandals had been decorating it!

“Upon closer inspection it was adorned with a familiar name to the street art scene...

The small stable features the phrase “Go big or go home” on one side, in red spray paint, and Banksy’s name on the other
Merrivale Model Village

“To have such a fantastic artist apparently choose to grace our tiny village with his street art is amazing! Hopefully it can be verified, we wait with bated breath”.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s chief executive Sheila Oxtoby told BBC News: “We’re just as intrigued and curious as everybody else as to whether these could be genuine Banksys. It would be great to think that they were, but we really don’t know.”

Banksy-style art was also discovered on Friday in Admiralty Road in the town, in Gorleston and in Oulton Broad and Lowestoft in Suffolk.

Banksy - In pictures

New Banksy artworks
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The pieces include depictions of a child near a dug up-pavement, people dancing on a bus shelter and an amusement arcade-style toy-grabbing crane.

Banksy expert Prof Paul Gough, principal and vice-chancellor of Arts University Bournemouth, told the broadcaster he is "pretty sure" the works were by Banksy, "or they are very good fakes".

"Banksy has clearly been enjoying an East Anglian staycation: these are very sophisticated stencils showing an artist at the top of his game," he said.

"The paintwork is distinctive; the drawing is really sharp; even the dance steps are convincing.

"As always with Banksy, the context is crucial: he chooses his sites carefully, and these three are beautifully located.”

None of the artworks has been verified.