Banksy artwork accidentally destroyed

Our daily round-up of news from the art world

Banksy artwork accidentally destroyed | A Banksy mural satirising government surveillance has been accidentally destroyed by workmen. The Spy Booth artwork, which depicts three secret agents using devices to listen in to conversations in a telephone box, was painted on the wall of a house in Cheltenham in April 2014. The following year, in a bid to protect the artwork, Cheltenham Borough Council granted retrospective planning permission. The council is said to be investigating homeowner David Possee’s claims that during urgent repairs ‘the artwork came away with the bad render’. This report follows earlier fears that the mural had been destroyed after photographs revealed tarpaulins and scaffolding at the house: the artwork has been repeatedly vandalised since being painted on the Grade II listed house.

Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art goes digital | The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA), considered to have one of the most impressive collections of Western modern art outside of Europe, has announced that it is making its collection accessible online. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the collection, compiled by Farah Pahlavi, the Queen of Iran, was removed from public display, with works – by Picasso, Pollock, and Bacon, among others  – hidden in the museum’s basement. Earlier this year it was announced that an agreement with the German government would allow 60 works from TMocA to travel to Berlin for a three month show this winter.

Serpentine to stage major Zaha Hadid show | The Serpentine Sackler Gallery will mount an exhibition this winter of the late architect Zaha Hadid’s rarely seen paintings, drawings, and digital works, according to the Art Newspaper. Hadid had a close relationship with the Serpentine; she joined the board in 1996, designed the gallery’s inaugural summer pavilion in 2000, and completed the Sackler extension in 2013.

Nicholas Serota tipped as the next Arts Council Chairman | According to reports from the Sunday Times and Evening Standard, current Tate director Nicholas Serota has been offered the opportunity to become Chairman of the Arts Council England, taking over from Sir Peter Bazalgette who will step down in January 2017.