NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Internationally acclaimed artist Banksy painted more than a dozen artworks around New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Now, there’s a local man who’s the caretaker of Banksy’s “Umbrella Girl,” who is on a quest to find out more about three missing Banksy art pieces.
Jesse Zuefle is the self-proclaimed caretaker of Banksy’s “Umbrella Girl” painting on North Rampart and Kerlerec Streets in New Orleans. Zuefle said that “Umbrella Girl” is one of 17 Banksy works in New Orleans.
“When Banksy came in 2008, he kicked up the street art movement of New Orleans with the politics and systematic failure after Katrina with FEMA,” he said.
“There are three Banksy paintings in New Orleans that were cut and can’t be tracked down,” he continued.
Zuefle is putting together a book on Banksy and wants the stories of all his New Orleans work, but three in particular remain an enigma. Photos of the mysterious missing works were taken by “anthonyturducken” and Anthony Posey.
“A piece called “Trumpet Boy #1,” which was right behind Armstrong Park. It was cut out in the middle of the night, disappeared and never surfaced again,” he said.
Zuefle went on to say, “There was another one-off St. Claude Avenue, a smaller Banksy, which is a rat holding a broom. It was cut out. I heard rumors that the owner of the home it was on cut it out, but it never resurfaced again.”
He said the third missing paint is of a turtle with a hard hat on instead of a shell.
“I’m not looking to blow up anyone’s spot by finding out if someone stole a piece. I’m just trying to get a collective of all the information about the pieces down here in New Orleans,” he said.
While he gets all the pieces to the Banksy puzzle, he’ll still protect Banksy’s “Umbrella Girl.”
Zuefle hopes to have his book out by next year for the Hurricane Katrina 20th anniversary.
According to Zuefle there are only three Banksys still on display around town. “Umbrella Girl,” “Looters” at the International Hotel, and a Bart Simpson themed mural in the Habana Outpost on Esplanade Avenue.
If anyone has any information on the missing Banksy art pieces contact Jesse Zuefle on Facebook, Instagram, or by e-mail.
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