Italian artist sparks controversy after painting on abandoned house

An Italian artist has uploaded a video to Instagram of them spray painting a devil onto the wall of an abandoned house in Lanzarote.

An Italian artist has received backlash online after publishing a video of himself to Instagram spray painting a devil onto the wall of an abandoned house on the island, drawing on rocks in Famara, and a crayon drawing of a person and two palm trees on another abandoned building.

After the artist’s post caught the attention of locals on the island comments quickly began to flood onto the post from residents who didn’t approve of the art.

The artist responded to the online backlash by taking down the original post and publishing an apology:

“I’m the stupid tourist today!

I am sorry to have upset some people in Lanzarote, it was not my intention.

The paintings I made on the island were made in abandoned places with rubbish and other paintings already on the walls, even engravings on the ground.

If you care about those places try to protect them because they are not, at least where I was painting, they were forgotten places and I hoped by paintings would bring them back to life.

I do not think I’m doing anything wrong, but it’s been perceived so by many that are leaving hate comments on my profile.

Deleted the other posts because they became anger dumps.”