The wait is finally over as Bay Area residents get to see original and authenticated works of one of the most intriguing and talked-about artist in modern history. Nobody knows who Banksy is, yet everybody knows who he is. He might be the most famous yet the most mysterious graffiti artist this world has seen.
Though his identity is a mystery, Banksy has become one of the most famous and influential artists in the world through his political art. The exhibition features well-known works like Flower Thrower, Rude Copper as well as early iterations of Girl and Balloon, alongside some of Banksy’s lesser known masterpieces.
On display are prints, canvasses, screen-prints, sculptures, unique works and limited-edition pieces mainly dated between the years 1997 to 2008, the period which resulted in Banksy’s most recognizable and well-known works.
He is infamous for his outdoor graffiti art, but these rare indoor pieces, on wood, canvas and paper, are housed with private collectors. “Once the exhibition is over, the artwork will be returned to art collectors around the world, and the chances that they will be displayed together again in the future are extremely slim,” said Corey Ross, President & CEO of Starvox Exhibits.
Who is Banksy?
We don't exactly know, even after more than 30 years of his involvement in the global graffiti scene. He is a famous, albeit anonymous, British graffiti artist. His art is in public places, yet Banksy keeps his identity a secret, admitting to his artwork only after it appears on social media. A lot of his art is distinctive which is easily recognizable by his use of stencils, a style he adopted since 2000 to enhance his speed, with images that communicated his antiauthoritarian message.
His political statements and disruptive vision have impacted cities across the globe, with a majority of his artwork spotted around the south of England, including London, Brighton and Bristol. However, he has bombed several international locations, including San Francisco.
Six large works of stencil art were found around San Francisco in 2010, three in the Mission and one each in Chinatown, SOMA and the Lower Haight.
How Sotheby’s got “Banksyed”
Banksy’s original art, an image of a girl holding a balloon, aptly titled "Girl With Balloon,garnered $1.4 million at an auction but the crowd was shocked when a shredder built within the frame activated as soon as the sale was complete, partly shredding the piece. The half-shredded Banksy piece, titled “Love is in the Bin,” auctioned for $25.4 million!
Art Of Banksy Exhibit is a “Must See”
His power is undeniable, as is his unnerving ability to get to the heart of the matter, and express strong political statements with poetry, energy and humor. Any location with his works becomes “the” place to see. This is your chance to see his remarkable art at one of the largest touring exhibition of authentic Banksy artworks in the world.
When: Nov. 22, 2021
Where: Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA
Info: Art of Banksy
Coming next to Boston (February 17, 2022) and Denver (April 14, 2022)