About Banksy's artwork

A well-known artwork has returned to the streets of Folkestone, Kent. A painting by street artist Banksy has been re-installed on Folkestone’s Old High Street in the heart of the Creative Quarter.

Art Buff is a graffiti artwork by Banksy which was created in Folkestone in 2014, Banksy announcing it as "part of the Folkestone triennial. Kind of". The work depicts a woman wearing headphones and staring at a plinth, upon which rests a patch of painted-out graffiti. The name of the piece is a play on words, "buff" being a slang term for the painting over of graffiti.

During early November 2014 Robin Barton and Bankrobber London organized the removal of Art Buff from its Folkestone location following requests from the owners of the wall and announced plans to put it up for sale. On 27 November 2014, the work was flown to Miami Art Basel to be offered for sale. On 11 September 2015, a British judge ruled that the mural was public property and had to be returned to Folkestone. 

The artwork has now been returned to Folkestone in the courtyard of 69 The Old High Street, which is accessible to the public.

Here is a short interview from 2015 about the Banksy journey.