BANKSY WORKS IN DEMAND AT BONHAMS' VISION 21 SALE

Written by Bernard Waldstein Friday, 02 December 2011 20:11

London - Eleven artworks by the renowned artist, Banksy soared way over estimate in the Vision 21 sale at Bonhams in Knightsbridge – 24 October 2007. The prices achieved reinforces the artist’s ongoing popularity and strength in the contemporary art market. Bonhams specialist of the Vision 21 sale, Gareth Williams says, “Today's results demonstrate that prices for Banksy's work continue to go from strength to strength, and Bonhams are proud to remain at the forefront of this market.

Perhaps the most incredible aspect of the Banksy phenomena is neither his meteoric rise, nor the substantial sums of money that his art now commands, but that as a self-confessed guerilla artist, he has been so wholeheartedly embraced by the very establishment he satirizes. We are sure that this irony is not lost on today's buyers.”

In August 2004 Bansky was in the news again after designing and unveiling a six meter satirical bronze statue, protesting towards the British Legal System. The statue was unveiled to a crowd of several hundred admirers at Clerkenwell Green, London. The location was significant as it once housed the largest courtroom in the country and also because Banksy had previously been arrested there. It was modeled as a modified version of the statue of Justice from the Old Bailey and depicted the female figure in a state of undress; her up lighted robe revealing suspenders, a thong, a garter stuffed with American dollars and a blindfold.

A statement was read out by MC Dynamite on Banksy's behalf: "It's the most honest depiction of British justice currently on display in the capital," Banksy said. "I hope it stays there for good." The three and a half ton statue was removed two days later with a crane by the council for health and safety reasons. In the short time that was stood in the square, the sword had been removed by an admirer. When Banksy later reclaimed the statue from the council, footing the bill for its removal, he was also keen to retrieve the missing sword.

The present lot was a gift to its previous owner, in thanks for his assistance with the return of the sword. Not only is it a unique work, having the inclusion of the sword in the stencil design and the inscription to the rear, it also represents both a highly personalized and humorous account of the above event.

• 'Lenin on Rollerskates (Who Put the Revolution on Ice?)', 2003
  red stencilled signature to side of canvas, inscribed '10/25/2003/ Thanks Mate/ Banksy' to rear, spray paint stencil on canvas, in perspex frame 40 x 40cm (15 3/4 x 15 3/4in)...Estimate: £20,000-30,000....Fetched: £48,000
  
  
• 'Balloon Girl', 2003
  signed on the overlap, also numbered 12/25 to the reverse, spray paint stencil on canvas 40.5 x 40.5cm (15 15/16 x 15 15/16in)......Estimate: £20,000-30,000... Fetched: £57,600
  
  
• 'Avon and Somerset Constabulary'
  Stenciled, spray paint and oil on canvas ...Estimate: £60,000-80,000.... Fetched: £96,000
  

Also an important and extensive collection of photographs of the renowned artist, 'Francis Bacon and his Circle', shot by British photographer Peter Stark in the early 1970's sold for £36,000.

The collection comprises ninety-two 35mm colour transparencies, mostly in 'Camera Press' slide mounts, fourteen gelatin silver prints and nine 36-exposure rolls of 35mm black and white film negatives cut-up into strips and sleeved. A manuscript letter, dated 30th November 2005, signed by the photographer, confirming his ownership of the ‘complete copyright of these shots’ as well as his ‘absolute right to transfer the copyright’ also accompanies this lot.

The photographer and poet Peter Stark (born 1943) was casually acquainted with many of the artists, writers and media personalities who formed a key part of the Soho scene in the late 1960's. Around this time Stark met Francis Bacon, who was a fan of his poetry, and this meeting led to an opportunity to photograph the artist. The photographs in the sale were shot over a period of three weeks in the early 1970's at the artist's studio at Reece Mews, as well as at some of Bacon's favourite haunts in and around Soho - The Colony Rooms, the Yorkminister Arms (affectionately known as 'The French') and 'Wheelers' fish restaurant. Also featured are many of the personalities central to Bacon’s social life, including Muriel Belcher, the owner of the Colony Rooms, who appears in several of Bacon’s portraits.

The artist later ordered five hundred prints from the collection and used two of the photographs as the basis for two self portraits, both painted in 1973. On Bacon's death, many of these prints were found scattered on the floor of his studio. This sale also included work by P Caulfield, J & D Chapman, P Doig, L Fontana, S Lucas, T Frost, Gilbert & George, A Gormley, D Hockney, A Micallef, J Opie, L Milroy amongst others.

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America and in August 2003, Goodmans, a leading Australian fine art and antiques auctioneer with salerooms in Sydney, joined the Bonhams Group of Companies. Today, Bonhams is the third largest and fastest growing auction house in the world with a global network of offices and regional representatives providing sales advice and valuation services in 20 countries. It offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further 10 throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and Switzerland, Monaco, and Australia. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of more than 40 Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com