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| Banksy works go under hammer in auction criticised by artist | Banksy works go under hammer in auction criticised by artist |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A collection of ten works by the elusive graffiti artist Banksy have gone on display at a London hotel and nine will be sold at silent auction on Sunday. | |
| The pieces, which have been peeled from walls, doors and even the side of a lorry, include some of the street artist's most iconic works such as No Ball Games and Girl with Balloon. | The pieces, which have been peeled from walls, doors and even the side of a lorry, include some of the street artist's most iconic works such as No Ball Games and Girl with Balloon. |
| The exhibition, titled Stealing Banksy?, showcases the most expensive collection of Banksy artwork ever assembled under one roof, with the estimated sales prices for the works varying between £100,000 and £500,000. | The exhibition, titled Stealing Banksy?, showcases the most expensive collection of Banksy artwork ever assembled under one roof, with the estimated sales prices for the works varying between £100,000 and £500,000. |
| However, the exhibition has been condemned by the artist, who posted a message on Banksy.co.uk saying: "The Stealing Banksy exhibition taking place in London this weekend has been organised without the involvement or consent of the artist. | However, the exhibition has been condemned by the artist, who posted a message on Banksy.co.uk saying: "The Stealing Banksy exhibition taking place in London this weekend has been organised without the involvement or consent of the artist. |
| "Banksy would like to make it clear – this show has nothing to do with me and I think it's disgusting people are allowed to go displaying art on walls without getting permission." | "Banksy would like to make it clear – this show has nothing to do with me and I think it's disgusting people are allowed to go displaying art on walls without getting permission." |
| The artworks have all been salvaged and uncovered over the past 12 months from walls across London, Liverpool and Berlin by the auction organiser Sincura Group, who firmly stated they "do not own the pieces" nor have they "made any financial gain from the sale of any street art". | The artworks have all been salvaged and uncovered over the past 12 months from walls across London, Liverpool and Berlin by the auction organiser Sincura Group, who firmly stated they "do not own the pieces" nor have they "made any financial gain from the sale of any street art". |
| In a statement, the Sincura group added: "We are approached by building owners to remove the artwork illegally painted on their sites. | In a statement, the Sincura group added: "We are approached by building owners to remove the artwork illegally painted on their sites. |
| "The building owners have not asked for the art to be placed on their premises or for the on-going attention received from it. | "The building owners have not asked for the art to be placed on their premises or for the on-going attention received from it. |
| "What is more, they run the very real risk of having a grade 2 listing applied to their premises which seriously affects their business operations and resale value. Though loved by the public these are often a hindrance to the building owners." | "What is more, they run the very real risk of having a grade 2 listing applied to their premises which seriously affects their business operations and resale value. Though loved by the public these are often a hindrance to the building owners." |
| The company said they then worked to restore the iconic graffiti works, which had often been the subject of vandalism or theft and would, they claim, otherwise be "doomed to a fate of unceremonious decay and erosion". | The company said they then worked to restore the iconic graffiti works, which had often been the subject of vandalism or theft and would, they claim, otherwise be "doomed to a fate of unceremonious decay and erosion". |
| This includes No Ball Games which is now priced at £500,000 but was formerly adorned on a wall in Tottenham Green and had suffered various attempts to deface the piece. All sale profits from the auction of the work are to be given back to the Tottenham community. | This includes No Ball Games which is now priced at £500,000 but was formerly adorned on a wall in Tottenham Green and had suffered various attempts to deface the piece. All sale profits from the auction of the work are to be given back to the Tottenham community. |
| The auction also includes Oldskool, Banksy's famous depiction of four pensioners dressed in hoodies and baseball caps, which has not been seen since it was peeled from the wall of Clerkenwell Motorcycles in east London in 2008 and hidden in a private collection for five years. | The auction also includes Oldskool, Banksy's famous depiction of four pensioners dressed in hoodies and baseball caps, which has not been seen since it was peeled from the wall of Clerkenwell Motorcycles in east London in 2008 and hidden in a private collection for five years. |
| Only one of the works, Silent Majority – a painting on the side of a lorry that was one of the artists's earliest pieces – has been authenticated by Pest Control, the website set up by Banksy to verify his own artwork. However, the site does not deal with any of his "guerrilla" street art. | Only one of the works, Silent Majority – a painting on the side of a lorry that was one of the artists's earliest pieces – has been authenticated by Pest Control, the website set up by Banksy to verify his own artwork. However, the site does not deal with any of his "guerrilla" street art. |
| Ralph Taylor, the director of the UK board of contemporary art at Bonhams, said it was risky to invest in the pieces which lacked official authentication. | Ralph Taylor, the director of the UK board of contemporary art at Bonhams, said it was risky to invest in the pieces which lacked official authentication. |
| "People need to know what they are buying," said Taylor. "Bonhams and other auction houses would not entertain the selling of an artwork which doesn't have a certificate of authenticity. It is up to the living artist to say what is legitimate or not." | "People need to know what they are buying," said Taylor. "Bonhams and other auction houses would not entertain the selling of an artwork which doesn't have a certificate of authenticity. It is up to the living artist to say what is legitimate or not." |
| The process of removing Banksy's works from their original community spaces has also proved a controversial process. There was a wave of protests after a Banksy mural, Slave Labour, was removed by the Sincura Group from the wall of a Poundland in Wood Green in 2013 and sold for more than £750,000 at a secret auction in London. | The process of removing Banksy's works from their original community spaces has also proved a controversial process. There was a wave of protests after a Banksy mural, Slave Labour, was removed by the Sincura Group from the wall of a Poundland in Wood Green in 2013 and sold for more than £750,000 at a secret auction in London. |
| In February, his famous mural entitled Kissing Coppers fetched £345,000 at a US auction after being removed from the wall of a Brighton pub. | In February, his famous mural entitled Kissing Coppers fetched £345,000 at a US auction after being removed from the wall of a Brighton pub. |
| The Banksy exhibition, at London's ME Hotel, will be open to the public until 27 April and the pieces will be sold on Sunday through an online auction and sealed bids. | The Banksy exhibition, at London's ME Hotel, will be open to the public until 27 April and the pieces will be sold on Sunday through an online auction and sealed bids. |
| Works for Sale | Works for Sale |
| No Ball Games | No Ball Games |
| Estimated sale price: £500,000 | Estimated sale price: £500,000 |
| Painted: 2009 | Painted: 2009 |
| Oldskool | Oldskool |
| Estimated Sale price: £350,000 | Estimated Sale price: £350,000 |
| Painted: 2006 | Painted: 2006 |
| Liverpool Rat | Liverpool Rat |
| Estimated Sale price: £250,000 | Estimated Sale price: £250,000 |
| Painted: 2006 | Painted: 2006 |
| Girl With Balloon | Girl With Balloon |
| Estimated Sale price: £450,000 | Estimated Sale price: £450,000 |
| Painted: 2004 | Painted: 2004 |
| Sperm Alarm | Sperm Alarm |
| Estimated Sale price: £150,000 | Estimated Sale price: £150,000 |
| Painted: 2011 | Painted: 2011 |
| Silent Majority | Silent Majority |
| Estimated Sale price: £350,000 | Estimated Sale price: £350,000 |
| Painted: 1998 | Painted: 1998 |
| Boy With Heart | Boy With Heart |
| Estimated sale price: £150,000 | Estimated sale price: £150,000 |
| Painted: 2006 | Painted: 2006 |
| 2 Rats (Berlin Door) | 2 Rats (Berlin Door) |
| Estimated Sale price: £200,000 | Estimated Sale price: £200,000 |
| Painted: 2003 | Painted: 2003 |
| Secured | Secured |
| Estimated sale price: £100,000 | Estimated sale price: £100,000 |
| painted: 2003 | painted: 2003 |
| Brace Yourself | Brace Yourself |
| (exhibition only- not for sale) | (exhibition only- not for sale) |