Artist behind Banksy-style RNLI mural revealed
The artist behind a Banksy-style tribute to the RNLI has come forward, after the mural was fitted with a protective covering.
The artwork first appeared on a wall near the RNLI lifeboat station in Rhyl, north Wales, on 30 December 2022. The image depicts a young child gazing at an anchor and a heart-shaped lifebuoy — a riff on Banksy’s iconic heart-shaped balloon series.
“What a special tribute to RNLI. Thank you, whoever you are!” the rescue service said in a Facebook post sharing the image.
Some commentators speculated that infamous Bristol street artist Banksy was behind the image, and urged authorities to protect it. Denbighshire council placed a clear protective cover over the artwork after being made aware of it, to protect it until the artist could be verified.
However, a locally born artist known as D.N.Z. has now come out and claimed the work as their own. “Originally born and raised in north Wales, I painted this piece next to the RNLI station in Rhyl,” D.N.Z. said on Instagram.
“I did this to thank all of the people volunteering for the RNLI across the country and to all the lives saved, and sadly lost over the many years,” the artist continues. “This is also for the people of the community to appreciate and to remember the hard work that the RNLI do all year round.”
D.N.Z. also thanked the council for protecting the work so people could enjoy it “for years to come”.
The artist says they are planning to create two original prints from the mural, and donate them to the RNLI in Rhyl. One is for the station to keep, and one will be auctioned in a raffle to raise funds for the charity.
In 2020, Banksy funded a rescue boat to help rescue migrants in the Mediterranean, which features a painting of girl holding a heart-shaped lifebuoy.
