Banksy

[lowpro]

I wonder if it's some bizarre market experiment by Banksy to see if someone would buy a piece from the streets that is decidedly in his style and humor and that EVERYONE originally thought was a legit work but doesn't have his seal of approval on it, in an effort to determine whether people are just paying the ludicrous prices for his name or for his art? A democratization of the unique Banksy market if you will..or a prank on the super high end celebrity clientele that's able to pay the silly money for his original work at auction. The whole scenario - the location, the Doug Christmas angle, the random video footage, even the guy misstating his name in that footage - was entirely conceived of intentionally by Banksy to further confuse his fans and make the purchase the much more difficult for someone. Doug Christmas doesn't even actually own the site. Banksy printed that sign to put up himself. Hell, Doug Christmas isn't even a real person. Who could have such a badass last name?

For that collector willing to trust the art itself rather than the circumstances, the winning bidder will be rewarded handsomely with full Pest Control authentication, which would be effectively like winning the lottery with how cheap it'll go for due to the uncertainty, as well as an all expenses paid trip to none other than..that's right..Disney World.

Hell, that's why I'm the first bidder at 5k Hopefully, I steal this thing.

[oldfartatplay]

It's a gamble and you got guts! Good luck to you lowpro, I hope it's real for your sake!

[lowpro]

Apr 16, 2010 6:34:48 GMT -8 oldfartatplay said:

It's a gamble and you got guts! Good luck to you lowpro, I hope it's real for your sake!

Thanks.

Please no one else bid. I want to win the game This is a game right?!!?!

More than anything, I'm really just gunning for the Disney World trip that I personally made up. With my 18 kids, I've never been able to afford taking the entire family down there. That would be nice. All.Expenses.Paid.Biiiaaatch.

[hellosir]

Lowpro, I thought this same thing about the authenticity of the piece. When no bids were made I was seriously contemplating the $5000 dollars with of history and drama and the future value that would bring me. That got me thinking that for this size piece at 5000 is a steal, hell at 20k its a steal. Hope you get it as it is a great piece.

[epicfai]

regardless of whether it is real or not, it is a cool piece, no doubt. if you win it lowepro you should host an artchival viewing party.

[steveinca]

Apr 16, 2010 6:50:08 GMT -8 lowpro said:

Apr 16, 2010 6:34:48 GMT -8 oldfartatplay said:

It's a gamble and you got guts! Good luck to you lowpro, I hope it's real for your sake!

Thanks.

Please no one else bid. I want to win the game This is a game right?!!?!

More than anything, I'm really just gunning for the Disney World trip that I personally made up. With my 18 kids, I've never been able to afford taking the entire family down there. That would be nice. All.Expenses.Paid.Biiiaaatch.

haha, that's awesome lowpro. If indeed it is real, you may be on to something big here my friend.

[jediak]

I thought this was an issue of integrity not legitimacy? Artist making a living from a sale and what not. I think it’s a bit silly that people are pretending this is not a Banksy because no one verified it, if it looks like a Banksy and it smells like a Banksy well then I would say it’s a pretty safe bet it is a Banksy. I say go for it, I think people should spend their money how they see fit on things they enjoy, life is too short to do otherwise.

[lowpro]

Guess I didn't lay on the sarcasm thick enough. Tongue was firmly implanted in cheek during my last two posts...except for the 18 kids and wanting to go to Disney World, of course

Believe me, I wouldn't put it past Banksy to have something up his sleeve here by initially backing away from ownership of the work and such. Who knows? Something certainly seems fishy here. Hence, my theorizing still stands. But I could never go after the piece if there was the slightest chance that it was in fact fake. I actually love the piece a lot. Shit, even if he were to back away from creating the piece to the grave, this thing might still have some value and significance in the long run from a historical perspective as it relates to the currently unfolding story of Banksy. I'd really love some answers when it's all said and done. But I have a feeling we may never get them and it will only be in his will that the owner is either rewarded or not.

It seems my speculation - or everyone's really - perhaps may have sparked the beginnings of a bidding war. Should be interesting to see where this thing end.

[droow2]

I'm bored with this already.

[oldfartatplay]

I'm not. I want to see how this turns out. A long time board member here is taking a chance on going to Disney World with 18 of his children. Exciting!
Anyone know who shot the video of the removal of that piece?

[steveinca]

Apr 16, 2010 17:50:08 GMT -8 oldfartatplay said:

I'm not. I want to see how this turns out. A long time board member here is taking a chance on going to Disney World with 18 of his children. Exciting!
Anyone know who shot the video of the removal of that piece?

[/b]

Yeh, some dude on the banksy boards. He's getting a little heat because he sent the video to jetset graff, or something like that. I'm really curious as to how this turns out as well. Who knows, maybe this piece auctions off at under 8k and a week later banksy will post a pic of it up on his website. There's a slim chance for someone to make a huge profit here. A bit too risky for my blood though.

EDIT-The piece is no longer available on ebay

[sleepboy]

[sleepboy]

There appears to be two new Banksys in SF.

[flatcolor]

speculation on something Banksy-ish in Seattle...

slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/04/23/the-alleged-banksy-at-the-harvard-exit-im-a-doubter

[devours]

Nice pics of SF - will have to go have a look.

[ken]

Cool Holga-esque shot of the latest piece:


Got a couple good leads on some new SF stuff, having a great time in LA but can't wait to get back home. Hopefully I'll have more Banksy SF stuff to come!

[stacyjean]

There are 6 known in SF. I saw 4 out of the 6. Pretty dope.

[prettypikey]

I'm going on a Banksy hunt this weekend before the Hush/Above/Blek le Rat show.... I know this one is on Valencia between 19th and 20th, and that other piece is in Chinatown somewhere, any ideas where the other pieces are? Did he make his way to any of the alleys in the mission?

[parklife]

I'll give banksy this, he is a great self promoter. What better why to advertise the opening of a new film, for free. I'd bet money he didnt step foot in SF though.

[sleepboy]

Apr 26, 2010 11:27:20 GMT -8 prettypikey said:

I'm going on a Banksy hunt this weekend before the Hush/Above/Blek le Rat show.... I know this one is on Valencia between 19th and 20th, and that other piece is in Chinatown somewhere, any ideas where the other pieces are? Did he make his way to any of the alleys in the mission?

arrestedmotion.com/2010/04/streets-banksy-in-san-francisco-part-iii/

[prettypikey]

Apr 26, 2010 14:09:41 GMT -8 sleepboy said:

Apr 26, 2010 11:27:20 GMT -8 prettypikey said:

I'm going on a Banksy hunt this weekend before the Hush/Above/Blek le Rat show.... I know this one is on Valencia between 19th and 20th, and that other piece is in Chinatown somewhere, any ideas where the other pieces are? Did he make his way to any of the alleys in the mission?

arrestedmotion.com/2010/04/streets-banksy-in-san-francisco-part-iii/

Gracias Sleepboy!

[steveinca]

oops....
www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63R09F20100428?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FoddlyEnoughNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Oddly+Enough%29

"Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Susan Riley last week sent a clean-up team into Hosier Lane, renowned internationally for its colorful street art, to clean up garbage in the graffiti-lined passage after local residents complained.

But the request went awry when the cleaners painted over a Banksy stencil of a rat hanging underneath a parachute and adorning the wall of an old council building. "Unfortunately the contractors were not made aware by us that that was an important piece. It is the nature of graffiti art. It's very vulnerable to other people's work," Council chief executive Kathy Alexander told local radio.

The reclusive Banksy, who is regarded as one of the world's top street artists, painted several stencils in Melbourne during a 2003 visit. His satirical and distinctive art is often directed at anti-war, cultural and anti-capitalist themes.

Banksy in 2005 painted nine images on Israel's West Bank barrier, including a ladder going over the wall and an image of children breaking through to a tropical island.

In 2008, a London wall bearing one of his stencils was said to have sold on eBay for almost $500,000.

It is not the first time Banksy's art has been fouled in Melbourne. Vandals created another outcry in 2008 when they poured paint over the artist's stencil of a diver in an old-fashioned helmet and wearing a trenchcoat.

That work was afterwards protected by a sheet of clear perspex, although vandals struck again and poured silver paint behind the barrier, tagging it with the words "Banksy woz ere."

Alexander said the city council would rush through retrospective permits to protect other famous or significant artworks in Australia's second-largest city.

"In hindsight, we should have acted sooner to formally approve and protect all known Banksy works," she said.

[jediak]

I just saw that Banksy is number 20 on Times 100 most influential people of 2010 Arts category

[steveinca]

Apr 29, 2010 10:01:26 GMT -8 jediak said:

I just saw that Banksy is number 20 on Times 100 most influential people of 2010 Arts category

Let me guess, the dude who likes to play with dead animals and formaldehyde is #1?

[jediak]

I wish! Lady Gaga is listed on top of the arts list!
full list: www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1984685,00.html