Banksy’s Balloon Girl, a Screenprint in black and red on wove paper was the top seller at Bonhams Prints and Multiples Sale. It sold for US$ 116,016. Image: Bonhams Auction.

ART AUCTION

In what looks like a Banksy day at the auction, works by the British street artist were top sellers and many exceeded pre-sale estimates at the Bonhams Prints and Multiples sale.

BY KAZAD

LONDON– Balloon Girl, 2004, a screenprint in black and red, by Banksy, was the top seller as the recent Bonhams Prints and Multiples sale. Estimated at £40,000-60,000, the print sold for US$ 116,016 (£87,500), surpassing all estimation.

Balloon Girl is just one of the works by the British street artist sold at the Bonhams Prints and Multiples sale.  In what looks like a Banksy day, many other works by the artist came up for auction and were immediately bought by collectors eager to add works by the graffiti artist to their collection.  As expected, the competition among collectors helped Banksy’s works exceed their estimated prices.

One of the works that exceeded its estimated price is No Ball Games (Green). Estimated at £12,000-18,000, the painting sold for US$ 38,119 (£28,7500). Another print Pulp Fiction, a screenprint in colors from 2004, made US$ 31,490 (£23,750), surpassing a pre-sale estimate of £10,000-15,000.

For Lucia Tro Santafe, Bonhams Head of Prints and Multiples, the record making sales achieved by Banksy works shows the importance of the artist in art history. ‘The high prices achieved yesterday for works by Banksy in our Prints and Multiples sale reinforces his importance in the contemporary art market and his global appeal,’ he said.

The news of the outstanding sale once again put Banksy in the news. In addition to the unauthorized on-going exhibition of the artist’s works in Toronto, one of Banksy’s works, Trolley Hunters was stolen even before the show opened.  Steve Lazarides who was Banksy’s onetime gallerist and agent organized the show.

Below is a list of the top ten works sold during the Bonhams Prints and Multiples sale:

Robert Longo, Men in Cities, 1990. Lithographs on wove paper. Image: Bonhams

#1. Banksy (British, born 1975). Balloon Girl, 2004.  Screenprint in black and red on wove paper. Sold for £ 87,500 (US$ 116,016) inc. premium

#2. Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), Pichet à glace, 1952, sold for £60,000 after a pre-sale estimate of £30,000-50,000

#3. Robert Longo, Men in Cities, 1990. The complete set of 5 lithographs, sold for £43,750, estimated at £22,000-32,000

#4. Pablo Picasso, Jose Delgado, La Tauromaquia, Ediciones de la Cometa, Barcelona, 1959. Sold for £ 40,000 (US$ 53,035) inc. premium

#5. Damien Hirst (British, born 1965), Mickey (small) Screenprint in colors, 2014, on wove paper. Sold for £ 35,000 (US$ 46,406) inc. premium.

#6. Yaacov Agam (Israeli/French, born 1928), Rainbow Rhythm 1994-1996.  Polymorphic color screenprint on folded PVC and wood, Sold for £ 30,000 (US$ 39,776) inc. premium.

#7. Banksy, No Ball Games (Green) 2009.  Screenprint in colors. Sold for £ 28,750 (US$ 38,119) inc. premium.

#08. Marc Chagall (Russian/French, 1887-1985). The Story of the Exodus, Léon Amiel, Paris-New York, 1966 (Cramer Books 64; Mourlot 444-467). Sold for £ 25,000 (US$ 33,147) inc. premium

#9. Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987). Liz (Feldman & Schellmann II.7) 1964.  Offset lithograph in colors on wove paper. Sold for £25,000 (US$ 33,147) inc. premium.

 #10. Banksy, Pulp Fiction 2004. Screenprint in colors on wove paper, Sold for £ 23,750 (US$ 31,490) inc. premium

Banksy is one of the celebrated street artists in the art world today, and his works sell for thousands of dollars. What do you think about the fact people are money from works by an artist who abhors capitalism? Share your thought and comments.