Who Owns Street Art?
A painting by famed street artist Banksy was found on the wall of an abandoned automobile factory in Detroit in May 2010. Shortly after the painting was discovered, volunteers from an arts organization called 555 Nonprofit Gallery and Studios went to the site. They cut through the 1,500-pound cinder-block wall and removed the work. They put it on public display in their gallery.
Removing the art started a debate. Some people thought it should have been left where the artist placed it. Others believe it was right to preserve the work before it was destroyed. Still others argued the building’s owner should decide. At the time, no one knew who owned the factory. It had been abandoned for more than 50 years. Now an owner has come forward and filed a lawsuit to get the painting back—it could be worth a lot of money. Other works by Banksy have sold for more than $100,000.