Banksy Calls ‘One World Trade Center’ A Disaster In Rejected NY Times Article

Bansky isn’t the biggest fan of the 1 World Trade Center. The graffiti artist writes that the “104-story skyscraper” is a clear sign that the “terrorists won” in a new op-ed.

The article was submitted to the New York Times but the paper refused to publish it. So Banksy turned to his website where he shares his thoughts about the new building at ground zero.

Banksy writes in the article, titled “The biggest eyesore in New York isn’t the graffiti, argues Banksy, it’s under construction at Ground Zero,” that New York has lost its nerve. The graffiti artist slams the city for constructing a skyscraper that is “vanilla” or “Canadian” instead of something that shows the spirit of New York.

Banksy writes:

“It would be easy to view One World Trade Centre as a betrayal of everyone who lost their lives on September 11th, because it so clearly proclaims the terrorists won… You currently have under construction a one thousand foot tall sign that reads — New York — we lost our nerve.”

The artist says that One World Trade Center can’t even be declared a “disaster” because disasters are at least interesting to witness. The One World Trade Center, according to Banksy, is a non-event.

Banksy continues:

“The attacks of September 11th were an attack on all of us and we will live our lives in their shadow… But it’s also how we react to adversity that defines us. And the response? 104 floors of compromise?”

The graffiti artist was hoping to have his piece published in the New York Times but the paper decided to reject the piece. Banksy responded by painting the following image on a building in Brooklyn.

Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy simply responded: “We couldn’t agree on either the piece or the art so it was rejected.”

This isn’t the first time that Banksy has addressed the events of September 11 during his residency in New York. On October 15, he painted the New York skyline in Tribeca.

What do you think of Banksy’s article? Is the One World Trade Center bland? Is it 104 floors of compromise?