British artist Banksy’s latest artwork is a hotel near Israel’s separation wall in Bethlehem, reported The Guardian. The Walled Off Hotel has the “worst view in the world,” the secretive artist said in a statement. “Walls are hot right now, but I was into them long before [Donald] Trump made it cool.”
The 10 rooms of the hotel house several of his new artworks. While the budget room has bunk-beds taken from an abandoned Army barrack, another room has the artwork of an Israeli soldier pillow-fighting with a Palestinian protestor. The hotel has a presidential suite where the water to a bath tub comes from a water tank with bullet holes. The hotel also has a museum that explains the wall.
The hotel will be open to the public on March 20. Rooms can be booked on their website. “I would like to invite everyone to come here, invite Israeli civilians to come visit us here,” said manager Wisam Salsaa. “We want them to learn more about us, because when they know us it will break down the stereotypes and things will change.” Israelis are not allowed to visit Bethlehem.
The property was a pottery workshop before Banksy turned it into an artwork and a protest. Banksy is one of the most well known graffiti artists in the world, though he has successfully kept his identity a secret for years. He is known for his politically charged artworks.
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