The First Online Auction Solely for Banksy

Sotheby's v. Christie's

Yesterday @Sothebys & @ChristiesInc started dueling online Banksy prints sales. Sotheby’s launched first. The two-week sale “Banksy/Online,” is now live. Christie’s sale, cheekily titled “I can’t believe you morons actually buy this sh*t,” will go live next week, September 11. I have my doubts that: either Sotheby’s and Christie’s are working independently. In 2000, the mega auction houses agreed to Pay $512 Million in a Price-Fixing Case as reported by The New York Times or that either is acting independently of Banksy or his representatives.

Where are the Prints Coming From?

Is it Steve Lazarides? Lazarides, who launched Banksy to fame, arguably has the largest collection. In 2016, he organized a retrospective “Banksy Unauthorised,” that he knew the artist would not like. As the show traveled, Banksy took to his site to list his sanctioned, free shows and discourage attendance at Lazarides’ paid shows. The battle continued over the internet and then, in 2018, a Belgian court shut down the show over questions about ownership of the 58 works on view.

Banksy’s Street Art History in Auctions

Banksy is big business for the major auction houses. Last October Love Is in the Bin self-shredded Oct 2018, garnered about as much media attention as a work of contemporary art possibly can after it sold for $1.4 million.

More recently, a painted truck by Banksy sold at auction for $1.8 million.

Right now there are more questions than answers. We are reminded that street art and graffiti are our art movement. Stay tuned!

1 of only 3 surviving Banksy pieces from when he stenciled the streets of New Orleans in 2008 with over 15 pieces.