Foster The People's controversial album art mural in Los Angeles has been painted over, despite getting the thumbs up from the city's Mayor.

Fans of the wall art had hoped an online campaign and the intervention from the office of Mayor Eric Garcetti would help save the mural on the back of a Santa Fe Lofts building, but after almost seven months the piece has vanished.

Even the band knew the mural would not be able to stay up forever, but they were hoping it would remain for a few more weeks after fans launched a petition to save it online.

Representatives for Garcetti also stepped in and urged building owners to postpone any changes to the mural.

A new joint statement from the band, Garcetti and the building’s owner reads: "It is necessary to remove the mural to return this historic property to its original state."