The single most famous painting in New Orleans can no longer be seen

For the first time in 16 years, the so-called “Umbrella Girl,” a graffiti painting by international art star Banksy, will disappear from public view for an extended period of time. It’s not yet known when the aerosol masterpiece will be seen again. The stencil, which was applied to an outdoor wall of the former Drop-In Center building at the corner of Kerlerec and North Rampart streets in 2008, has recently been covered by plywood barriers in preparation for its removal, which is expected to take place this week. The building, a former refuge for teenage runaways that has been unoccupied for 20 years, is being readied for major renovation. According to a statement from attorney Robert S. Abdalian, who represents the building’s owner, Mantua LLC, the portion of the wall that holds the artwork is structurally unsound and must be repaired. In the coming days, the concrete block wall bearing the “Umbrella Girl” will be cut out intact “so that the art conservators may do the necessary work to preserve the mural in their off-site studio.” It will then be returned to the site, according to Abdalian. How the painting will be displayed in the future has not yet been...