Iconic Works by Banksy and Shepard Fairey at Bonhams Urban Art Sale

Written by Susan Nussbaum Thursday, 08 September 2011 23:50

LONDON.- Several works by the renowned graffiti artist Banksy are to be sold at Bonhams, New Bond Street, as part of its Urban Art sale on 21 September 2011. Leading the way is a work featuring one of Banksy’s most iconic images, the monkey, entitled Monkey Detonator, which has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £70,000 – 90,000. Executed in 2000, this canvas displays the typically dark sense of humour which has endeared Banksy to both art collectors and the general public. Other original Banksy’s featured in the sale include HMV Dog (estimate £10,000 – 15,000); Precision Bombing (£15,000 – 25,000); Watchtower Collaboration – Blu (estimate £10,000 – 15,000); and Balloon Girl (estimate £20,000 – 30,000).

Chinese Soldier by American contemporary artist and graphic designer, Shepard Fairey, one of only seven hand painted works produced by the artist, is another sale highlight, attracting a pre-sale estimate of £20,000 – 30,000. Fairey is best-known for his iconic Barack Obama Change poster in support of Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and has recently featured in the first major US museum exhibition of the history of graffiti and street art at The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles. The sale also features several other works by the artist, including Duality of Humanity (£15,000 – 20,000), Commandante 1, 2, 3 and 4 (estimate £10,000 – 15,000) and Blank Panther (£3,000 – 5,000).

An exciting addition to the auction scene is Joe Rush, a British artist best-known for his works using salvaged junk and industrial parts. His first two works to ever appear at auction, Boxer No 3 (Mad Jock) and Blue Boy, have attracted pre-sale estimates of £2,500 – 3,000 respectively. Rush, who, at the request of Banksy, exhibited his sculptures at Santa’s Ghetto and MuTATE Britain, has worked extensively on the Festival circuit, this year winning ‘best Festival field’ at Glastonbury as voted for by the Telegraph.

A photocall will take place at Bonhams, New Bond Street on Friday 16 September – further details to be announced.

Known for his contempt for the government in labelling graffiti as vandalism, Banksy displays his art on public surfaces such as walls and even going as far as to build physical prop pieces. Banksy does not sell photos of street graffiti directly himself; however, art auctioneers have been known to attempt to sell his street art on location and leave the problem of its removal in the hands of the winning bidder.Banksy's first film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, billed as "the world's first street art disaster movie," made its debut at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. The film was released in the UK on 5 March 2010. In January 2011, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary for the film.

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