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Any of you collect Banksy?
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21 posts in this topic

34 minutes ago, thethedew said:

Are there Banksy pieces to collect?  Beyond partially-shredded oil paintings?

You can track a few down from THIS DOCUMENTARY

 

And if the originals are a bit much for the wallet, I recently saw a company releasing a vinyl toy of the kissing cops.  Had me wondering if it was officially licensed or not. hm

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39 minutes ago, ESeffinga said:

By and large the biggest aftermarket of work for Banksy has been via property theft, property owners capitalizing on his bombing their wall, and what little publicly produced work he has put up for sale, generally as part of an exhibition that was made as a socio-political statement.

In the very early days there were a series of officially released prints released via the artist’s back channels he had set up in London in order to arrange things. The prints were done as a seed money it seems, to get things rolling. There are in fact folks who know who and where he is. He has a small trusted network of other well known street artists in London and around the world.

Most collectors that enjoy Banksy and truly understand that what he is doing with his work, get that it isn’t about being a commodity. Or for sale. Or for ownership. The vast majority of it is intended as a sort of Guerilla-style socioeconomic counter propaganda against the institutions of the world, and pro-humanity. This is all verry generalistic, and without getting into specifics and dragging the board into the various political discussions that would be bound to ensue, if discussed in any greater depth.

The overall gist is, people who look to “collect” Banksy are not so much a fan of Banksy, but rather participating in the very institutions for which he seems to try and play the foil against. And for which he has pranked time and again.

Thus furthering interest by those type of collectors.

At this point he has created one of the most interesting dichotomies in art. The more he eschews the wealth and adulation of the uber wealthy that want to have one of his works, and the harder he makes it, and mocks them, the more driven they are to aquire it. The more they want that status symbol on their wall.

He is on one level, like the next phase of Basquiat, in that he didn’t take street art into the gallery. He’s pushed against it. To try and keep it in the street. To keep it seen and lived with. To keep it out of Penthouse apartments, and away from art-brokers who would steer and capitalize on someone else’s “creativity”.

If there is a “show” it is a pop up event. Often with little or no notice. There is a gotcha type game he plays with the public.

For instance, the various times he has set up with art stalls, using stands ins to sell original unsigned works for paltry sums ($20-$50). New York. Paris. Venice. People walk by completely disinterested, or even chase the would be salesman away.

The 3 folks that actually bought a piece during that series of stunts ended up with pieces appraised as being “worth” many many thousands of dollars. The “work” wasn’t worth that, but when his name was attached...

The more he subverts and mocks our desire to own things, and the idea of value and worth, the more it draws attention to our own hypocrisy. And that is the real work. 

You can’t own and collect that.

 

 

T'is all truth my friend. And yet he does some studio works that he certifies and sells. I would like to one day find one. 

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2 hours ago, ESeffinga said:

...The overall gist is, people who look to “collect” Banksy are not so much a fan of Banksy, but rather participating in the very institutions for which he seems to try and play the foil against. And for which he has pranked time and again.

...

Eric did a nice job presenting the full essay version. TL;DR is:

image.png.bade6072bd502026cbb15709c04274cb.png

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I collect comic art but I also like lots of different styles of art. One day I would love to own a Quentin Blake, Banksy or Picasso for example, but the prices are out of my reach.

I've got an original Tracey Emin with a hand written note on the back as providence. It was gifted to me by Tracey herself.

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On ‎7‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 7:26 AM, dichotomy said:

I was in New York a day before he did his anonymous give away (and how could you know anyway?).

 

On ‎7‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 8:11 AM, Stan Singh said:

For instance, the various times he has set up with art stalls, using stands ins to sell original unsigned works for paltry sums ($20-$50). New York. Paris. Venice. People walk by completely disinterested, or even chase the would be salesman away.

The 3 folks that actually bought a piece during that series of stunts ended up with pieces appraised as being “worth” many many thousands of dollars. The “work” wasn’t worth that, but when his name was attached...

The crazy coincidence of the Banksy Central Park stall/sale was it was happening on the same day as the big NY Comic Con (Reed show) was in town (Saturday October 12th, 2013)

Can you imagine being shut out (or priced out!) at NY Comic Con and then stumbling upon the Banksy stall at Central Park and taking a gamble on a couple of pieces! (I know, a dream! Better shot at hitting lottery numbers!)

Edited by DanCooper
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On 7/17/2019 at 6:29 PM, DanCooper said:

 

The crazy coincidence of the Banksy Central Park stall/sale was it was happening on the same day as the big NY Comic Con (Reed show) was in town (Saturday October 11th, 2014)

Can you imagine being shut out (or priced out!) at NY Comic Con and then stumbling upon the Banksy stall at Central Park and taking a gamble on a couple of pieces! (I know, a dream! Better shot at hitting lottery numbers!)

Just a supposition, but given his apparent views on the commercial sale of art, why do you think his action was just a coincidence?

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