The Melbourne City Council have started to remove street art featured in Strachan Lane.

Part of the art was painted by multiple Archibald Prize People’s Choice Award winner, Vincent Fantauzzo.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has told Neil Mitchell the artist didn’t have a permit, but they gave him two weeks anyway, which is what other artists with permission would have received.

He says he’s got his publicity, but Council draws the line at permanent art on the city’s roads and lanes.

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Photo: Twitter/ What’s on in Melbourne

WEDNESDAY | Speaking on 3AW Drive, Vincent Fantauzzo, who also part-owns a restaurant in the laneway, said he wanted to liven it up.

‘The laneway that I looked at for so long, was so drab and a scary and dirty laneway, I saw it as an opportunity to surprise people’

Vincent said he hasn’t received any negative feedback and is baffled why it has become a council issue.

Melbourne City Council say the artwork is unauthorised and are reported as saying the surface could get slippery for deliveries.

Vincent says he painted the surface with a coat of non-slip paint.

‘The only problem would be if someone gets dizzy walking down the street’, he said.

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