Works by Banksy, the enigmatic British street artist, are expected to fetch upwards of a half-million dollars when they hit the auction block next month in Los Angeles, organizers said this week.
Modern pieces by art legends Andy Warhol and Basquiat are among the items going up for sale when Julien’s Auctions host its biannual Street & Contemporary Art auction on April 30, but a collection of paintings and stencils done by the elusive, mononymous Banksy are slated to bring in the most bucks, the auction house predicts.
Often installed unannounced and in the shadows, Banksy’s works have a habit of existing only briefly as public pieces of street art before the likes of entrepreneurial building owners and amateur art collectors are able to dismantle ad hoc canvases from walls and doorways and bring them to the auction block.
Among the Banksy work that will be open for bids next month are “Crazy Horse,” a stenciled car door installation that was done during the artist’s roving 2013 residency of New York City, and a hand-pulled screen print of “Nola,” an image of a girl holding an umbrella that appeared in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
“Heart Boy,” a mural that was painted on a London building in 2009 and has since been detached, and “Happy Choppers,” a 2002 aerosol stencil of a military helicopter wearing a pink bow, are expected to sell for as much as $120,000 and $150,000, respectively. All told, Julien’s expects the entire collection of eight Banksy pieces to fetch upwards of a half-million dollars.
“Banksy has become a pop culture icon as well as a very sought after artist. His values will continue to increase long after his identity has been uncovered,” Darren Julien, the founder and CEO of Julien’s Auctions, said in a statement.
Other artists who will be featured at next month’s auction include Shepard Fairey, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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