Banksy

Among Banksy’s earliest and most enduring works is the mural Take The Money And Run, created in collaboration with Bristol graffiti writers Inky and Mobz during the early 1990s. This piece features silhouettes of three thieves and incorporates the New York-inspired graffiti lettering popular among street artists of that era.

Another notable example of Banksy’s early oeuvre is the mural The Mild Mild West, painted in 1998. It depicts a teddy bear hurling a Molotov cocktail at three police officers in riot gear. In 2002, Banksy stencilled the equally renowned image Gorilla In A Pink Mask on the wall of a social club in Bristol’s Eastville. This work remained in place for nearly a decade before it was inadvertently removed in July 2011.

Banksy remains shrouded in mystery, with speculation ranging from the artist being a singular individual to possibly a collective. In 2010, Banksy directed the film Exit Through The Gift Shop, which received an Academy Award nomination. The film follows the story of Thierry Guetta, a Frenchman in Los Angeles who embarks on a journey to create a documentary about Banksy.

Many viewers and critics alike have pondered whether the film itself was a deliberate publicity stunt orchestrated by Banksy, aimed at questioning the commodification of art in contemporary society. Exit Through The Gift Shop sparked further intrigue into Banksy's motivations and the blurred lines between authenticity and commercialism in the art world.

Banksy's career is synonymous with audacious stunts that have propelled some of his most notable works into the spotlight. A prime example is Girl with Balloon, initially created as a series of murals in 2002 featuring a young girl reaching for a red, heart-shaped balloon. During a 2018 Sotheby’s auction, the artwork was famously shredded before a stunned audience, transforming it into Love Is In The Bin. This daring act increased the artwork's selling price by 20%, making it the highest-selling Banksy work ever, fetching £18.9 million.

Another renowned piece is Game Changer, painted in 2020 as a tribute to the NHS's efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sold for £16.7 million at auction, the proceeds were donated to the NHS, and the painting now hangs at Southampton General Hospital.

*Banksy's 2009 work, Devolved Parliament, is also noteworthy. Depicting chimpanzees debating in the House of Commons, the painting offers a witty political commentary on British politics. Displayed at the Bristol Museum on Brexit Day, the piece remains relevant, reflecting on ongoing political events a decade after its creation.

Over the past two decades, Banksy has released approximately 70 prints, totaling around 30,000 individual prints. It's estimated that about 10,000 of these prints are signed by the artist, significantly increasing their market value.

In a testament to Banksy's evolving popularity, the initial release of his iconic Girl with a Balloon print in 2004 featured 150 signed copies selling for £150 each, while 600 unsigned copies went for £75 each. Fast forward to March 2021, where an edition from the same series fetched £475,500 at Christie's, highlighting the enduring interest and appreciation in Banksy's work.

Although Banksy hasn't released new prints since Sale Ends V2 in 2017, a robust secondary market exists for both signed and unsigned works. Another popular motif, the Rat, featured in prints such as Gangsta Rat (2004), has seen its value soar, increasing by over 280% from 2008 to 2022. For instance, a version of Gangsta Rat sold for £31,500 at Bonham's in March 2022, underscoring the continued demand and investment potential in Banksy's art.