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Banksy: From 'Civil Sculptor' To Dismaland & Beyond

Well fancy that -

Partially-shredded Banksy back under the hammer at Sotheby's


Sold for £1.1 million in 2018, it now has an estimated price of between £4 & £6 million. An increase of 400% to 600% in 3 years if realised.

Must admit it would greatly amuse me if it didn’t even raise a million. Can’t see that happening though.
Is love it if some how Banksy arranged for it to go up in flames just as the hammer went down :p
 
Well fancy that -

Partially-shredded Banksy back under the hammer at Sotheby's


Sold for £1.1 million in 2018, it now has an estimated price of between £4 & £6 million. An increase of 400% to 600% in 3 years if realised.

Must admit it would greatly amuse me if it didn’t even raise a million. Can’t see that happening though.
It sold for £16 million on Thursday, vastly over its £4-6 million guide price.

So from 1.1 million in 2018 to 16 million in 3 years. 18.5 million including fees. Not a bad investment for whoever bought it in 2018, & money for old rope for Sotheby’s.
 
Is/was Banksy in Ukraine?

Borodyanka, northwest of Kyiv

1668171129832.png
 
Now you see it, now you don't.

'A mystery man in a bowler hat has been seen scoping out a famous site where the illusive artist Banksy left a mural that was inadvertently torn down by builders. A group of builders think they spotted Banksy himself taking pictures of a site where he painted one of his most recent pieces on Thursday morning. The secretive man in a bowler hat, long black coat and glasses was seen taking pictures at the site of the anonymous artist's latest work in Broomfield, near Herne Bay, Kent. Last week it emerged that the piece - which could have sold for millions - was torn down by contractors who had no idea it was a genuine Banksy. The remains of the mural, called Morning is Broken, have since been fished out of a nearby skip. Banksy posted a picture on his Instagram on Thursday of the stencilled image on the side of the 500-year-old former farmhouse - before and after it was demolished. And the arrival of the enigmatic figure at the building site morning has sparked speculation that it was the man himself. Sofia Akin, who witnessed the man arrive at the site and take pictures on a mobile phone, said she arrived at about 9.30am where three workmen were continuing to knock down the building. She said: "I went to speak to them and ask for further details. Before I had the chance, a man appeared in a long black coat, bowler hat and glasses, seeming mysterious. "The contractors said 'that's Banksy, we saw him yesterday, he was here taking a picture of the mural'. "They said he was with a crew yesterday before and after the mural was demolished. "The men were all asking if he is Banksy, including some dog walkers that passed and he just laughed, not denying it. "He then disappeared off but was seen taking pictures of the site." Despite the excitement, pictures of the mystery man have been shared with someone who claims to know the famous artist - and they expressed doubts the individual in the footage is Banksy. The elusive graffiti artist's identity has never been officially confirmed. In a 2003 interview with The Guardian, Banksy was described as "white, 28, scruffy casual - jeans, T-shirt, a silver tooth, silver chain and silver earring". The journalist said he looks like a cross between Jimmy Nail, from Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and Mike Skinner of The Streets. Then in 2008 a picture emerged of a man in Jamaica who was said to be Banksy. The individual in the photograph was claimed to be Robin Gunningham, who grew up in Bristol. Other reports have suggested he is artist and musician Robert del Naja of Massive Attack, who is also a graffiti artist and member of the Bristol collective the Wild Bunch. In 2020 Art Attack presenter Neil Buchanan was forced to deny a bizarre conspiracy theory that he was Banksy. Whoever he is, his artworks never fail to cause a stir - and many have sold for millions of pounds. The latest, near Herne Bay, was a silhouette of a boy and a cat pushing apart some curtains constructed from corrugated iron. Workmen at the site said they "felt sick" after finding out the stencilled image at Blacksole Farm - which has been earmarked for 67 homes - was a genuine Banksy. The remains of the work have since been pulled out of the skip and attempts have been made to piece it back together. Now, Banksy expert John Brandler has said he would "love to restore" the piece and display it in Dover museum. He said: "We can restore this. This isn't a major disaster if we are given access to the property and can sort it out. "We have a big show starting in the summer, then I'd love to lend it to Dover museum to display. "The piece itself is wonderful - I'd love to have it in my collection." Mr Brandler could not say how much the destroyed art could be worth, but that it would "depend on how much is salvageable, how much can be restored and how much would be original". He added: "To rebuild it, what we would do is get the two sheets of metal, we'd get the surface it was painted on and the surrounding bricks to create the original picture. "We would then mount it on a backing material so it doesn't fall apart." Resident Adam Brooks said workmen at the site spotted a man in dark clothes taking a picture of the building, not long before the photos were uploaded to Banksy's Instagram. Mr Brooks said: "I spoke to the builders and they said they had seen someone in black on the hill this morning taking a photo of the building but did not think anything of it." While Mr Brooks was speaking with the contractors, others on the site managed to find a large piece of rubble which had most of the artwork on. He said: "It was like finding treasure. I have a couple of Banksy prints but not originals. "To see a piece that had freshly come off a building was pretty cool. It was like the holy grail coming out of a skip." Mr Brooks lives close to the site and said it is exciting to think Banksy has been right on his doorstep. He added: "I think it is more exciting that he has come to Herne Bay.'

abanksymorning.jpg


abanksymorning2.jpg


Video of the mystery man
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offb...p&cvid=fd996394ff8c45d98c0272fd132c0064&ei=17
 
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Now you see it, now you don't.

'A mystery man in a bowler hat has been seen scoping out a famous site where the illusive artist Banksy left a mural that was inadvertently torn down by builders. A group of builders think they spotted Banksy himself taking pictures of a site where he painted one of his most recent pieces on Thursday morning. The secretive man in a bowler hat, long black coat and glasses was seen taking pictures at the site of the anonymous artist's latest work in Broomfield, near Herne Bay, Kent. Last week it emerged that the piece - which could have sold for millions - was torn down by contractors who had no idea it was a genuine Banksy. The remains of the mural, called Morning is Broken, have since been fished out of a nearby skip. Banksy posted a picture on his Instagram on Thursday of the stencilled image on the side of the 500-year-old former farmhouse - before and after it was demolished. And the arrival of the enigmatic figure at the building site morning has sparked speculation that it was the man himself. Sofia Akin, who witnessed the man arrive at the site and take pictures on a mobile phone, said she arrived at about 9.30am where three workmen were continuing to knock down the building. She said: "I went to speak to them and ask for further details. Before I had the chance, a man appeared in a long black coat, bowler hat and glasses, seeming mysterious. "The contractors said 'that's Banksy, we saw him yesterday, he was here taking a picture of the mural'. "They said he was with a crew yesterday before and after the mural was demolished. "The men were all asking if he is Banksy, including some dog walkers that passed and he just laughed, not denying it. "He then disappeared off but was seen taking pictures of the site." Despite the excitement, pictures of the mystery man have been shared with someone who claims to know the famous artist - and they expressed doubts the individual in the footage is Banksy. The elusive graffiti artist's identity has never been officially confirmed. In a 2003 interview with The Guardian, Banksy was described as "white, 28, scruffy casual - jeans, T-shirt, a silver tooth, silver chain and silver earring". The journalist said he looks like a cross between Jimmy Nail, from Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and Mike Skinner of The Streets. Then in 2008 a picture emerged of a man in Jamaica who was said to be Banksy. The individual in the photograph was claimed to be Robin Gunningham, who grew up in Bristol. Other reports have suggested he is artist and musician Robert del Naja of Massive Attack, who is also a graffiti artist and member of the Bristol collective the Wild Bunch. In 2020 Art Attack presenter Neil Buchanan was forced to deny a bizarre conspiracy theory that he was Banksy. Whoever he is, his artworks never fail to cause a stir - and many have sold for millions of pounds. The latest, near Herne Bay, was a silhouette of a boy and a cat pushing apart some curtains constructed from corrugated iron. Workmen at the site said they "felt sick" after finding out the stencilled image at Blacksole Farm - which has been earmarked for 67 homes - was a genuine Banksy. The remains of the work have since been pulled out of the skip and attempts have been made to piece it back together. Now, Banksy expert John Brandler has said he would "love to restore" the piece and display it in Dover museum. He said: "We can restore this. This isn't a major disaster if we are given access to the property and can sort it out. "We have a big show starting in the summer, then I'd love to lend it to Dover museum to display. "The piece itself is wonderful - I'd love to have it in my collection." Mr Brandler could not say how much the destroyed art could be worth, but that it would "depend on how much is salvageable, how much can be restored and how much would be original". He added: "To rebuild it, what we would do is get the two sheets of metal, we'd get the surface it was painted on and the surrounding bricks to create the original picture. "We would then mount it on a backing material so it doesn't fall apart." Resident Adam Brooks said workmen at the site spotted a man in dark clothes taking a picture of the building, not long before the photos were uploaded to Banksy's Instagram. Mr Brooks said: "I spoke to the builders and they said they had seen someone in black on the hill this morning taking a photo of the building but did not think anything of it." While Mr Brooks was speaking with the contractors, others on the site managed to find a large piece of rubble which had most of the artwork on. He said: "It was like finding treasure. I have a couple of Banksy prints but not originals. "To see a piece that had freshly come off a building was pretty cool. It was like the holy grail coming out of a skip." Mr Brooks lives close to the site and said it is exciting to think Banksy has been right on his doorstep. He added: "I think it is more exciting that he has come to Herne Bay.'

View attachment 64584

View attachment 64585

Video of the mystery man
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offb...p&cvid=fd996394ff8c45d98c0272fd132c0064&ei=17

“…long black coat, bowler hat and glasses…”

Boss-level unobtrusiveness there.

maximus otter
 
Now you see it, now you don't.

'A mystery man in a bowler hat has been seen scoping out a famous site where the illusive artist Banksy left a mural that was inadvertently torn down by builders. A group of builders think they spotted Banksy himself taking pictures of a site where he painted one of his most recent pieces on Thursday morning. The secretive man in a bowler hat, long black coat and glasses was seen taking pictures at the site of the anonymous artist's latest work in Broomfield, near Herne Bay, Kent. Last week it emerged that the piece - which could have sold for millions - was torn down by contractors who had no idea it was a genuine Banksy. The remains of the mural, called Morning is Broken, have since been fished out of a nearby skip. Banksy posted a picture on his Instagram on Thursday of the stencilled image on the side of the 500-year-old former farmhouse - before and after it was demolished. And the arrival of the enigmatic figure at the building site morning has sparked speculation that it was the man himself. Sofia Akin, who witnessed the man arrive at the site and take pictures on a mobile phone, said she arrived at about 9.30am where three workmen were continuing to knock down the building. She said: "I went to speak to them and ask for further details. Before I had the chance, a man appeared in a long black coat, bowler hat and glasses, seeming mysterious. "The contractors said 'that's Banksy, we saw him yesterday, he was here taking a picture of the mural'. "They said he was with a crew yesterday before and after the mural was demolished. "The men were all asking if he is Banksy, including some dog walkers that passed and he just laughed, not denying it. "He then disappeared off but was seen taking pictures of the site." Despite the excitement, pictures of the mystery man have been shared with someone who claims to know the famous artist - and they expressed doubts the individual in the footage is Banksy. The elusive graffiti artist's identity has never been officially confirmed. In a 2003 interview with The Guardian, Banksy was described as "white, 28, scruffy casual - jeans, T-shirt, a silver tooth, silver chain and silver earring". The journalist said he looks like a cross between Jimmy Nail, from Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and Mike Skinner of The Streets. Then in 2008 a picture emerged of a man in Jamaica who was said to be Banksy. The individual in the photograph was claimed to be Robin Gunningham, who grew up in Bristol. Other reports have suggested he is artist and musician Robert del Naja of Massive Attack, who is also a graffiti artist and member of the Bristol collective the Wild Bunch. In 2020 Art Attack presenter Neil Buchanan was forced to deny a bizarre conspiracy theory that he was Banksy. Whoever he is, his artworks never fail to cause a stir - and many have sold for millions of pounds. The latest, near Herne Bay, was a silhouette of a boy and a cat pushing apart some curtains constructed from corrugated iron. Workmen at the site said they "felt sick" after finding out the stencilled image at Blacksole Farm - which has been earmarked for 67 homes - was a genuine Banksy. The remains of the work have since been pulled out of the skip and attempts have been made to piece it back together. Now, Banksy expert John Brandler has said he would "love to restore" the piece and display it in Dover museum. He said: "We can restore this. This isn't a major disaster if we are given access to the property and can sort it out. "We have a big show starting in the summer, then I'd love to lend it to Dover museum to display. "The piece itself is wonderful - I'd love to have it in my collection." Mr Brandler could not say how much the destroyed art could be worth, but that it would "depend on how much is salvageable, how much can be restored and how much would be original". He added: "To rebuild it, what we would do is get the two sheets of metal, we'd get the surface it was painted on and the surrounding bricks to create the original picture. "We would then mount it on a backing material so it doesn't fall apart." Resident Adam Brooks said workmen at the site spotted a man in dark clothes taking a picture of the building, not long before the photos were uploaded to Banksy's Instagram. Mr Brooks said: "I spoke to the builders and they said they had seen someone in black on the hill this morning taking a photo of the building but did not think anything of it." While Mr Brooks was speaking with the contractors, others on the site managed to find a large piece of rubble which had most of the artwork on. He said: "It was like finding treasure. I have a couple of Banksy prints but not originals. "To see a piece that had freshly come off a building was pretty cool. It was like the holy grail coming out of a skip." Mr Brooks lives close to the site and said it is exciting to think Banksy has been right on his doorstep. He added: "I think it is more exciting that he has come to Herne Bay.'

View attachment 64584

View attachment 64585

Video of the mystery man
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offb...p&cvid=fd996394ff8c45d98c0272fd132c0064&ei=17

The profile - notably nose, ear shape and chin, looks a pretty close match for 58 year old graffiti artist, musician and political activist Robert Del Naja, long suspected of being Banksy:

banksy1.png
banksy2.png
 
I've always suspected that Banksy isn't one person but more of a collective. There is obviously a team of people involved and I wouldn't be surprised if they were all "Banksy".

Maybe that's the collective term for them - like a gaggle of geese. This is a Banksy of wanky art students graffiti activists.
 
I've always suspected that Banksy isn't one person but more of a collective. There is obviously a team of people involved and I wouldn't be surprised if they were all "Banksy".

Maybe that's the collective term for them - like a gaggle of geese. This is a Banksy of wanky art students graffiti activists.

That was always the speculation (as indeed I posted here 3 years ago) - that "Team Banksy" comprised 3 or 4 graffiti artists, but with Robert Del Naja, who looks extremely like the bowler-hatted gent above, as overall leader.
 
That was always the speculation (as indeed I posted here 3 years ago) - that "Team Banksy" comprised 3 or 4 graffiti artists, but with Robert Del Naja, who looks extremely like the bowler-hatted gent above, as overall leader.
I didn't know that. It makes sense of course.
 
That was always the speculation (as indeed I posted here 3 years ago) - that "Team Banksy" comprised 3 or 4 graffiti artists, but with Robert Del Naja, who looks extremely like the bowler-hatted gent above, as overall leader.
That would explain a lot, and I've tended towards that idea. The ear of the the chap in the bowler appears match that the ear of Robert del Naja, and ears are fairly unique and hard to fake in doubles, so Robert del Naja could be Banksy, part of team Banksy, or a deliberate decoy. Is the bowler hat a tribute to René Magritte another artist trickster?
 
That would explain a lot, and I've tended towards that idea. The ear of the the chap in the bowler appears match that the ear of Robert del Naja, and ears are fairly unique and hard to fake in doubles, so Robert del Naja could be Banksy, part of team Banksy, or a deliberate decoy. Is the bowler hat a tribute to René Magritte another artist trickster?
It does look like a close match.
 
Maybe this is him "coming out" since parading about in a ludicrous "disguise" and attracting as much attention as possible is not normally considered to be the best way to stay anonymous?
 

What happened to the Banksy art in Norfolk and Suffolk?​


'In August 2021, the stealthy street artist visited the east coast while on his 'Great British Spraycation'. Over several days, Banksy left his mark in Great Yarmouth, Gorleston, Lowestoft, Outlon Broad, Cromer and King's Lynn.

But what has become of other artworks in the area left behind by the world-renowned street artist?'

https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co...h1Q9aiVnJvwDns8WTxBWV3O0Q5piFfTS9NQz3Cgw5L1MA
 
I can't imagine Banksy would return to our beach just to stencil spray on some exclamation and question marks over his hermit crabs piece so I reckon this is just some moron defacing it.

(picture taken this morning)

abanksydefaced001.jpg


... the original ...

abanksycromer3.jpg
 
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It's in a bit of a poor state anyway.
 
It's in a bit of a poor state anyway.
The waves have been eroding it because it was/is sprayed onto a sea defence wall. NNDC initially drilled holes into the wall to attach a perspex shield over it to protect it from arseholes who'd inevitably try to deface or 'improve' it .. then they removed the shield, covered it with anti graffiti paint instead to protect it from arseholes who'd inevitably try to deface it or 'improve' it. And now some next arsehole has tried to deface it or 'improve' it it ... hence the poor state it's now in.

I can't stand people who are compelled to destroy other people's art instead of having the skill and courage to create their own art instead.

Some arsehole had already deliberately scratched off the 'LUXURY RENTALS ONLY' message on the sign months ago which is probably why someone else has decided to put exclamation marks on to replace the damage?.
 
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