Is the Splasher back?

This week, two street art works on 22nd Street & the West Side Highway (one by Swoon, the other by Gaia) have been defaced (literally) in what looks like a Taliban version of the infamous Splasher.

There is also a graffiti tag that seems to be commenting on the wolves circling around the figure in Gaia’s piece.

What I find particularly odd is the choice of color for the defacement. It’s not a common spray paint color but one used by the Splasher before (evidence on Gothamist), which makes me think it was deliberate and planned rather than someone doing it to be a prick, out of a fit of jealousy or just stupidity.

My other question is…has the Splasher moved to Chelsea rather than his/her/their usual stomping grounds, i.e. Williamsburg?

I snapped this today with my iPhone (all the iPhone pics have harsher colors than the ones shot with a better camera):

Here’s the same image last week:

And here’s the targeted Swoon:

Here’s the original posted on Wooster Collective five days ago:

Just in case anyone was wondering, I didn’t find any manifestos nearby…so who is this Taliban Splasher? Still a mystery….

Though part of me wonders if the Splasher’s reemergence is a good thing for the Street Art scene…everyone needs critics to keep them on their toes and make things interesting donchya tink?