Anonymous ‘Banksy’ sculpture pops up at Scott Monument

Which one of you art students did this?

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On Wednesday morning, the bleary-eyed coffee-driven people of Edinburgh awoke to a mysterious installation at the foot of the Scott Monument.

The installation, which appeared over night, is called ‘Mine Girl’ and seems to be modelled on Banksy’s famous ‘Girl with the Balloon’.

However, unlike in Banksy’s piece, this girl is reaching towards a red metal mine with a heart cut out from the centre. A metal stand holds the balloon in place and has “Grantsy” scrawled upon it. The artist, intention and meaning behind the statue remains a mystery.

Credit:Ian Georgeson

The statue’s arrival has been largely celebrated by members of the city with numerous residents and visitors stopping to take pictures and catch a glimpse of the elusive artwork.

Second year Edinburgh student, Helena Davidson, said of the piece: “It’s really striking and a nice change from the stuffy, old monuments.”

The installation has received a positive response from the city’s art community with Lucy Askew, senior curator at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, telling the Edinburgh Evening News that it reminded her of a series of book sculptures that appeared around Edinburgh in 2011.

The Scott Monument is owned by the City Council and after allowing the installation to stand for a day, they have now shifted the statue and stored it safely nearby until “claimed”.

Whether Mine Girl was intended as a statement or simply a prank – it has certainly made an impact on the city.

(Featured image credit:Edinburgh Evening News)