Council covers up 'distressing' mural on listed flats

The mural, entitled 'falling in love,' was painted on the flats last week

Edinburgh council has covered up a controversial mural which was painted on a listed block of flats without consent from residents.

The artwork, entitled "Falling in Love", shows a couple falling from the top of Cables Wynd House and was described by tenants and owners as "distressing" due to perceived associations with suicide and domestic violence.

Street artist The Rebel Bear used a cherry picker to paint the piece on Thursday and the matter was reported to police.

The council has now painted over the image while inquiries into claims the building was "vandalised" are ongoing.

A spokesperson for the local authority said they were exploring ways to remove the art which did not damage the building's concrete façade.

Cables Wynd House, known locally as the Banana Flats for their unique curved shape, were given category A-listed status by Historic Environment Scotland in 2017 as an example of brutalist architecture.

The artwork, which was about 15m (49ft) up on the side of the block, showed a man in a black suit kissing a woman in a red dress as they appeared to be falling from the top.

The Rebel Bear was given planning consent for the work in April, but only under the condition the anonymous artist got the permission of tenants and the few private owners in the block.

They objected to the nature of the piece, saying: "The artist chose to paint the disturbing images resembling suicide and domestic violence and also murder-suicides that have happened here.

"Despite the council refusing permission for this piece, he went ahead anyway, ignoring both the rules and the people who actually live with the consequences.

"For some residents, this so-called art has been deeply distressing and had triggered many painful memories of the very real tragedies in our community."

A grey square has been painted over the artwork on the side of Cables Wynd House

A grey square has been painted over the image by council workers.

It also appears on the side of a building in the Merchant City area of Glasgow.

Other works by the artist, whose identity is unknown, have been painted elsewhere in Edinburgh, including on Princes Street and Rose Street.

A source close to the artist told BBC Scotland News he had attempted to engage with residents in the block on several occasions during the initial planning application but received no response.

They added the piece was never intended to cause any harm or distress and would not have been painted if he was aware the procedure had not been followed correctly.

Police Scotland said inquiries were ongoing.

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