2018, Auctions, Originals, Pranks, UK

Shredding at Sotheby’s. 5 October 2018

by R.A.

From Sotheby’s webpage:

“In a moment that caught the art world by surprise, Banksy’s Girl with Balloon self-destructed just as the final hammer signaled the end of an evening of auctions in London. The work sold for £1,042,000 ($1.4 million), tying the artist’s record in pounds at auction previously achieved in 2008. The framed work, spray paint and acrylic on canvas, mounted on board depicted a girl reaching out toward a bright red, heart shaped balloon – one of Banksy’s most iconic images – began to pass through a shredder hidden in the frame.” 

20181005 - Banksy Instagram - Shredding at Sotheby

Photo: Banksy’s Instagram

Days after the shredding, Banksy published the following two clips on his Youtube-channel:

Sotheby’s, October 5th 2018

–

Shredding the Girl and Balloon – The Director’s half cut

2018, Fakes

New section on Banksy’s official web. September 2018

by R.A.

In a new section on his official web, http://www.banksy.co.uk, Banksy informs us of “a recent spate of Banksy exhibitions none of which are consensual.”

Screenshot from http://www.banksy.co.uk

The list of  “real” Banksy shows in the column to the left are, in reverse order:

2018, Instagram

Letter from Zehra Doğan. 27 July 2018

by R.A.

In his own words:

“I got a letter from Zehra Doğan in Diyarbakır Prison, Turkey”

Photo: Banksy’s Instagram

The Zehra Doğan mural from the New York street art run in March 2018. Collaboration with John Tsombikos, a.k.a. BORF:

Photos: @banksy

2018, Exhibitions, Originals, UK

Unique Banksy retrospective at Lazarides. 12 July 2018

by R.A.

Banksy’s former agent Steve Lazarides opened an interesting exhibition at his Mayfair gallery of some of Banksy’s most coveted oil paintings, labelled Greatest Hits 2002 – 2008. At the centre of the show are seven unique pieces from the 2005 Crude Oil exhibition. One can also find the original paintings of some of the most iconic prints, such as Christ with shopping bags, Barcode Leopard, and Trolleys. The exhibition runs until 25 August.

Photos: R.A.

2018, Originals

Paris cartoon. 28 June 2018.

by R.A.

In his own words:

“I had planned to paint this on a wall, but ended up thinking it was more of a cartoon. So here it is – as a cartoon.”

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Screenshot from Banksy’s Instagram

2018, Europe (excl. UK), Street Art

Eight new stencils in Paris confirmed by Banky’s Instagram. 28 June 2018

by R.A.

Banksy’s stay in Paris has been a productive one. On 28 June, Banksy’s Instagram confirmed eight new stencils. The Bataclan Girl, which was stencilled on a fire door to the Bataclan Club, will probably make history.

As reported by Street Art News (www.streetartnews.net), the following two pieces did appear in Paris at the same time and in the same area, but they haven’t been confirmed yet. Judging by style, execution, and political content, they ought to be authentic.

2018, Exhibitions, Originals, UK

Banksy at the Royal Academy of Arts. 11 June 2018

by R.A.

Banksy made it into the Royal Academy of Arts with a piece on the Brexit referendum. The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) celebrates its 250th anniversary with an extended summer exhibition. In his own words:

“I entered an early version of this into the RA summer exhibition under the pseudonym Bryan S Gaakman – an anagram of ‘banksy anagram’. It was refused. Then a month later I got a mail from the co-ordinator Grayson Perry asking me to submit something so I sent it again. It’s now hanging in gallery 3.”

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Screenshot: Banksy’s Instagram