Bristol-based street artist Banksy has kicked off a month-long residency 'Better Out Than In' on the streets of New York this month; a name inspired by a quote by French artist Paul Cézanne: 'All pictures painted inside, in the studio, will never be as good as those done outside.'
It's apt timing, really, and true to the street-art ethos, considering that some of the city's most famous tourist sights are closed while the US government renegotiates its budget.
Banksy is attempting to produce one piece of work per day, uploading an image of each one right after its completion to his website www.banksy.co.uk and an Instagram feed 'Banksyny' (now at 35,000 followers and counting). He's also provided a cheeky audio track for each, available to listen to on his website or by calling a toll-free number spray-painted next to the works.
His first piece 'The Street Is In Play' - an image of two boys attempting to reach for a spray can - appeared on 1 October at Allen Street on the Lower East Side. It's already been mysteriously covered up; now all remains is a huge blot of white paint, much to the disappointment of fans hurrying to see the work.
It's not the first time Banksy has taken his spray cans travelling - his art has appeared in New York and across the world, most notably of a girl using balloons to float over the West Bank wall separating Palestine and Israel and, in one very elaborate stunt, a smiley-faced Mona Lisa in the Louvre, Paris.
So far two more works have popped up, one depicting a dog cocking his leg up against a fire hydrant in Midtown. You can expect another imminently as the East Coast wakes up, along with 28 others due across October.
If you're in New York and want to catch a glimpse then be quick, chances are they won't be around for long.
Related stories Guide to New York My Manhattan: by St Vincent Best rooftop bars in New York