On February 23 of 2013, an Auction House in the city of Miami attempted to auction a mural by UK artist Banksy.
The work was expected to sell for an estimate USD 700,000.00 and had already attracted the interest of many bidders. The Auction House decided to halt the auction for this particular piece because of several questions and criticisms about the manner in which the piece was acquired.
The mural was created in 2012 in an area of London (Turnpike Lake) and was part of a wall that belonged to a local business.
The sweatshop boy with sewing machine—an image that recreates the elaboration of the Union Jack flag—was covered with fabric when it was suddenly taken from the wall.
The building owners affirmed that they did not authorize the removal of the mural. It was them, along with other members of the community, who organized a campaign against the "theft" of the work; a campaign that appeared on TV and printed media.
Individuals associated with the place where the mural was created believe that the piece is part of the city's heritage and that, therefore, it should had not been taken and privatized for personal benefit.
Can we draw any parallels between the person who took Banksy's work and a person who steals a painting from a museum's collection that belongs to the cultural patrimony of a city?