The 50ft mural on Ashley Road in Boscombe was created by Southbourne artist Krishna Malla, who works under the name Tech Moon, in 2021 as part of the Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe (BEAF) in collaboration with Bournemouth Coastal BID.
The striking artwork has become a familiar feature of Boscombe over the past five years.
Recent graffiti appeared after scaffolding was erected around the building, although Krishna said there was no way of knowing whether that was connected to the vandalism.
He said: “I drove past it yesterday. I don’t know who did it or what the scaffolding is for.
“It’s sad to see what’s happened, although it’s hard to get too emotional about it because I’m actually more emotional about what the weather has done to it over time.”
Krishna said the owl mural remains his favourite piece of his career.
Artist Krishna Malla – aka Tech Moon – with Elton the owl in front of his mural in Boscombe
He said: “I started working on it after a trip to Rome. It combines nature and classical architecture – there’s an owl in the middle with architectural framing around it.
“It works really well with the building it sits on.”
The mural took five weeks to paint after a lengthy design and approval process, with Krishna determined to bring his vision to life.
“I really dug my heels in on this one because I wanted it to happen. It ended up becoming my favourite piece,” he said.
Despite the vandalism, Krishna said he felt fortunate the artwork had remained untouched for so long.
He said: “I was surprised it hadn’t happened sooner, if I’m honest, and I feel very fortunate that it lasted as long as it did.
“The mural meant a lot to Boscombe, so making it look fresh again would be a good thing for the area.”
He has already contacted Bournemouth Coastal BID and Bournemouth East MP Tom Hayes about opportunities to refresh the site and create more public art in Boscombe.
Tom Hayes MP for Bournemouth East described the vandalism as disappointing and said he hoped more investment would be made in street art as part of the town’s regeneration.
He said: “I love Tech Moon’s street art. His Boscombe Owl transformed an ordinary wall into a cultural landmark that local people really love and I’m disappointed that some idiot has graffitied over it.
“With the £20m secured to help reinvigorate Boscombe, I hope the new independent board chooses to invest in street art. I think Boscombe High Street could see so much more of it.
“Boscombe has a rich cultural history and our public art only grows our sense of local place.”