Graffiti artist Banksy £400,000 triumphs as seventeen art works sell at Bonhams Urban Art Sale (from ArtDaily.org)

 
 

Banksy:  Bomb Hugger
 

LONDON.-  March 31, 2012

Seventeen art works by the celebrated graffiti artist, Banksy, went under the hammer last night (29 March) as part of Bonhams Urban Art Sale, selling for a total of £405,425. Exceptional prices were achieved for three original works by the artist. Leopard and Barcode, acquired directly from an exhibition entitled Existencilism at the 33 1/3 Gallery, Los Angeles by the present owner and never before been seen at auction, sold for £75,650; Love is in the Air, 2002, £87,650; and Bomb Hugger, £49,250. Banksy highlights also included Banksy’s Girl and Balloon, 2009, which sold for £73,250; Happy Choppers, £13,125; and Nola, £12,500. 

Banksy, Girl and Balloon

Top prices were also paid for O Anniversario da Meretris, 2008 by Os Gemeos (£73,250); Shepard Fairey’s Take Action, 2005 (£24,375); and an untitled piece by Cyclops (£15,000). In total, the sale realised £742,550 with 92% sold by value. Alan Montgomery, Urban Art Specialist at Bonhams, said: "Our results in last night’s auction prove that the demand for works by Banksy is stronger than ever, and the interest in Urban Art continues to grow. It appears that it is now a truly global phenomenon, attracting bidders from around the world. We look forward to our next sale, and intend to include an exciting mix of big names and emerging talent in this rapidly developing area of the art market." 

Banksy, Love is in the Air

NOTE:  I think I’ll just let this one speak (or sigh) for itself.  To put it in some context, however, I just finished listening to My Back Pages (Byrds version) when I was exercising and find it (still) timely and relevant.  Funny how Jane’s just getting into this stuff now that it’s well and truly over.  (See Alan Montgomery’s remarks above.)  I would like to add, however, that I think Shephard Fairey’s work is simply awful and that the headline is like some dreadful pre-April Fool joke. 

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Lot 214 - Banksy (b. 1975), Love is in the Air. Photo: Bonhams. LONDON.- Seventeen art works by the celebrated graffiti artist, Banksy, went under the hammer last night (29 March) as part of Bonhams Urban Art Sale, selling for a total of £405,425. Exceptional prices were achieved for three original works by the artist. Leopard and Barcode, acquired directly from an exhibition entitled Existencilism at the 33 1/3 Gallery, Los Angeles by the present owner and never before been seen at auction, sold for £75,650; Love is in the Air, 2002, £87,650; and Bomb Hugger, £49,250. Banksy highlights also included Banksy’s Girl and Balloon, 2009, which sold for £73,250; Happy Choppers, £13,125; and Nola, £12,500. Top prices were also paid for O Anniversario da Meretris, 2008 by Os Gemeos (£73,250); Shepard Fairey’s Take Action, 2005 (£24,375); and an untitled piece by Cyclops (£15,000). In total, the sale realised £742,550 with 92% sold by value. Alan Montgomery, Urban Art Specialist at Bonhams, said: "Our results in last night’s auction prove that the demand for works by Banksy is stronger than ever, and the interest in Urban Art continues to grow. It appears that it is now a truly global phenomenon, attracting bidders from around the world. We look forward to our next sale, and intend to include an exciting mix of big names and emerging talent in this rapidly developing area of the art market."

More Information: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=54479&int_modo=1[/url]
Copyright © artdaily.org