'Valentine's Banksy': Famed street artist confirms mysterious artwork on wall is his

Photos of the artwork were shared on Banksy's official Instagram account on Valentine's Day. (Banksy / Instagram)

TORONTO — Just in time for Valentine’s Day, renowned graffiti artist Banksy has owned up to a piece of artwork depicting a girl firing red flowers from a slingshot that mysteriously appeared on the side of a building in England Thursday morning.

The artwork features a spray-painted stencil of a young girl firing a slingshot of red flower petals at the wall of a house on Marsh Lane in Bristol’s Barton Hill neighbourhood.

The unexpected piece was first noticed by passersby on Thursday morning.

On Twitter, the Bristol Somali Community Association said they woke up to “remarkable mural art painted on one of the houses” in the area.

“We hope it’s Banksy’s work,” the group wrote in the post.

The association’s hopes were confirmed at midnight on Valentine’s Day when two photos of the artwork were shared on Banksy’s official Instagram account with no other caption.

According to local media, the artwork was painted on a rental home owned by a man named Edwin Simons. His daughter, Kelly Woodruff, spoke to The Guardian about the piece after learning about it on Facebook.

“We’ve been down here all day and it’s just been a complete buzz of excitement,” she said. “They’re naming it the Valentine’s Banksy. It’s incredible and beautiful.”

The family is hoping to preserve the piece by putting glass over it, Woodruff said.