A new comprehensive book documenting the British street art superstar Banksy's legendary 2008 visit to New Orleans offers an unprecedented look into one of the most significant moments in contemporary street art history. Author and street artist Jesse Zuefle, who goes by the pseudonym 'Banksy Hates Me,' has released 'NOLA RAIN: The New Orleans Banksy Story,' a meticulously researched self-published work that serves as both historical document and love letter to the anonymous artist's impact on the Crescent City.
Zuefle's obsession with Banksy extends far beyond typical fandom. For years, he has created his own street paintings that mirror Banksy's characteristic black and white stencil style, deliberately adopting the ironic moniker 'Banksy Hates Me' to distinguish his tribute works from potential counterfeits. His deep knowledge of Banksy's 2008 undercover visit to New Orleans may rival that of anyone except Banksy himself, making this book an invaluable resource for art enthusiasts and historians alike.
The book provides a lavish history of Banksy's creation of 17 murals during his secretive visit to New Orleans, which was intended to draw attention to the city's ongoing struggle to recover from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Zuefle has timed the book's release to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the devastating storm on August 29, hoping to have copies available in bookstores by that significant date.
Based on digital copies of the volume, 'NOLA RAIN' includes extensive photographic documentation of Banksy's murals from their original pristine states through their eventual destruction, disappearance, and in some rare cases, resurrection. Since none of the original New Orleans Banksys survive in their original states and locations, this book serves as their lasting testament and the most complete record of this historic artistic intervention.
The 54-year-old Zuefle brings a unique perspective to the project, having grown up in Buffalo, New York, to what he affectionately describes as 'first-generation hippies' - his father was an auto mechanic and folk musician, while his mother ran a daycare center. Before becoming deeply involved in the art world, Zuefle owned a nightclub in Buffalo and operated a Gothic and punk clothing store. His personal aesthetic, featuring muscle shirts, tattoos, and sunglasses, reflects his alternative cultural background.
Zuefle's connection to New Orleans began during a 1999 vacation with friends, when he was immediately captivated by the city's distinctive architecture and artistic atmosphere. This initial attraction eventually led him to purchase a house in the Marigny neighborhood in 2011, where he now spends approximately a quarter of each year. Currently, he supports himself through art sales and rental property ownership.
By the time Zuefle became a part-time New Orleans resident, most of the 2008 Banksy works had already been damaged or destroyed. However, the famous 'Umbrella Girl' - also known as 'NOLA' - remained intact at the corner of Kerlerec and North Rampart streets, just blocks from his home. Zuefle became one of the painting's dedicated protectors, regularly replacing the clear plastic sheeting that shielded the artwork from vandalism and weather damage.
The research methodology for the book presented unique challenges, as Zuefle readily acknowledges. 'How do you verify the unverifiable?' he asked rhetorically during a recent telephone interview, referring to the inherently secretive and sometimes illegal nature of street art. His solution was thorough cross-referencing: 'You've got to get the same story at the same time from 10 different people.' He notes that the anecdotes in the book are often based on hearsay, which is simply the nature of documenting clandestine artistic activities.
Zuefle's own artistic journey began with his fascination for Banksy's work, which he describes as appealing because 'it's so basic and simple, but delivers such a strong message.' He learned the art of stencil cutting and began creating his own Banksy-inspired murals, first in Buffalo and later in New Orleans. Aware of how many artists imitate Banksy's style and how viewers sometimes confuse genuine Banksy works with imitations, Zuefle was determined to ensure his works were understood as tributes rather than counterfeits, leading to his motto: 'I'm not Banksy, Banksy Hates Me.'
While Zuefle has never met his artistic hero, he believes he may have encountered members of Banksy's inner circle during pilgrimages to the artist's hometown of Bristol, England, and to the satirical Walled Off Hotel in Palestine. In New Orleans, his most emotionally resonant artwork is a skeletal version of the Umbrella Girl, which he created to replace the original when it was removed by the property owner in 2024.
'NOLA RAIN' contains several revelations that may surprise even longtime observers of Banksy's New Orleans visit. Zuefle has investigated the stories behind three portraits of Abraham Lincoln that Banksy allegedly gave as gratuities to those who assisted him during his New Orleans adventure. The book also explores the mysterious story of a panel van that crashed into the building where the Umbrella Girl was painted, in what some speculate may have been an intentional attempt to destroy the artwork.
Perhaps the most significant discovery in Zuefle's research is his tracking down of Banksy's 'Boy with Trumpet' - a piece depicting a child playing a horn while being buffeted by wind, originally painted on the clapboard siding of an unoccupied house in the Treme neighborhood. According to Zuefle's investigation, he contacted two New York collectors who admitted to flying to New Orleans in 2008 specifically to find and acquire a Banksy work to take home.
In Zuefle's account, the pair physically removed the painting from the wall, carefully boxed up the clapboard sections containing the artwork, and transported it back to New York. This revelation provides closure to one of the mysteries surrounding the fate of Banksy's New Orleans works and demonstrates the lengths to which collectors will go to possess pieces by the world's most famous street artist.
The book represents years of dedicated research and serves as both an artistic documentation project and a historical record of a pivotal moment when international street art intersected with post-Katrina New Orleans. For Banksy enthusiasts and art history scholars alike, 'NOLA RAIN: The New Orleans Banksy Story' promises to be an essential addition to the literature surrounding one of the 21st century's most influential and enigmatic artists.
