A NEW mural that resembles the work of elusive artist Banksy has been spotted in Birmingham.
The mysterious painting depicts Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz as she reaches for a pair of ruby slippers hanging from an electric cable.
A Birmingham-based art critic said the artwork - discovered on the side of Sidewalk Bar on Kent Street - had "all the hallmarks of Banksy".
If it is genuine, it is the second Banksy piece in Birmingham; the first appeared in the Jewellery Quarter in 2019.
The earlier piece depicted a pair of galloping reindeer and was intended to deliver a powerful message about homelessness.
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Phil Oldershaw, director of Sidewalk, said bar staff became aware of the Dorothy mural this morning - but its origin was a "mystery".
He said: "It wasn’t there when the manager locked up last night. It’s still a mystery.
"I’ve asked our maintenance team to go and cover it in perspex - I’m going to protect it whether it’s Banksy or not. It would be a great thing for Birmingham - and it makes Southside look great too!"
According to Birmingham-based art historian and critic Ruth Millington, the new piece could very well be Banksy's.
She told BirminghamLive: "Banksy doesn’t just stick to 2D art, he plays with objects in real life.
"We can see the artwork interacting with the shoes on the telephone wire which is very clever. It’s also interesting to note that Banksy has used Dorothy in his art before, he likes putting her in interesting places.
"Banksy does site-specific artworks which carry meaning too. Here we’ve got Dorothy in the Gay Village, and her red shoes definitely carry associations with gay and queer culture where she’s become a bit of an icon."
Ruth said the timing of the piece was also "quite interesting", given the city's cultural scene and the cuts it is currently facing.
She continued: "For me it’s got all the elements a Banksy would have, whereas copycat artwork tends to not include all of these elements together.
"There’s clearly thinking behind this artwork."
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Others are unconvinced the work is Banksy's, as he is yet to share a picture of it to his Instagram account.
One person said: "There's usually a message portrayed in an image if it's banksy... I can not imagine the message so (although it's excellent) I don't think it's a banksy."
Another said: "It's neat stencil work, but it's not Banksy. It's not saying anything for one. It's literally just Dorothy."
For me it’s got all the elements a Banksy would have, whereas copycat artwork tends to not include all of these elements together
Ruth Millington
Someone else commented: "Doubtful that it’s a Banksy he usually makes a social comment in his Art this just seems like a stand alone figure although granted it does look like his style but I’m not convinced it’s his work."
Another eagle-eyed art fan said Dorothy's feet would be closer to the ground, and the keyhole in the door would be incorporated into the mural, if the painting were a true Banksy.
It comes after another Banksy mural appeared on the side of a residential building in Finsbury Park on March 18.
The artist later claimed the mural as his own in an Instagram post.
Photos of a mystery man next to the new work sparked talk that Banksy's identity had finally been confirmed.
But The Sun tracked down the man in the pictures, who turned out to be a 67-year-old builder named George Georgiou.
George said the speculation was "nonsense" - and that he doesn't even like graffiti.
