Banksy's chimp-depicting 'Devolved Parliament' sells for over $12 million

[snoop1130]

Banksy's chimp-depicting 'Devolved Parliament' sells for over $12 million

By Marie-Louise Gumuchian

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A large Banksy painting depicting primates sitting in Britain’s parliament sold for more than $12 million on Thursday, a record price at auction for a work by the secretive British street artist, according to Sotheby’s.

 

“Devolved Parliament”, in which chimpanzees replace politicians in the House of Commons, more than comfortably surpassed its estimated price tag of 1.5 million to 2 million pounds, with the auctioneer declaring “history being made” at one point during the sale which was streamed live.

 

After bidding that lasted some 13 minutes, the 2009 artwork from a private collection sold to loud applause for a hammer price of 8.5 million pounds, to which fees are added giving a final price of 9,879,500 pounds ($12.2 million).

 

“Record price for a Banksy painting set at auction tonight. Shame I didn’t still own it,” Banksy wrote on his Instagram feed beside a post quoting art critic Robert Hughes about the value of artworks.

 

“... The price of a work of art is now part of its function, its new job is to sit on the wall and get more expensive. Instead of being the common property of humankind the way a book is, art becomes the particular property of someone who can afford it,” the Instagram post quoted Hughes as saying.

 

Before Thursday’s sale, the auction record for a Banksy work was $1,870,000 for “Keep it Spotless” which sold at Sotheby’s in New York in 2008, according to the auction house.

 

“Devolved Parliament” measures 13 feet (4 m) long, making it Banksy’s largest known canvas, according to Sotheby’s.

 

Despite being painted in 2009, many commentators had drawn comparisons to current-day politics, namely the increasingly brutish exchanges in the House of Commons over Britain’s pending departure from the European Union, or Brexit.

 

The Bristol-born artist, who keeps his identity a secret, is known for his political or social-commentary graffiti work that has popped up in cities around the world.

 

Thursday’s sale came a year after another Banksy canvas, “Girl with Balloon”, shredded itself in front of shocked onlookers at a Sotheby’s auction just as it was sold.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-04

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[JonnyF]

Banksy is a legend. From my home town as well.

 

Given that he did this in 2009 he was a decade ahead of his time. The PC part of me does feel this is a bit unfair to primates though.

[Denim]

A bit insulting to chimps . They could not be half as bad as human beings.

[Pilotman]

2 minutes ago, Denim said:

A bit insulting to chimps . They could not be half as bad as human beings.

Indeed and an insult to their intelligence too, as they are not half as dumb as the vast majority of MPs.  

[chokrai]

More money then brains or taste to pay money for that piece of <deleted>.

[vogie]

Fantastic work of art, he has certainly captured John Bercow.

[Bruntoid]

1 hour ago, chokrai said:

More money then brains or taste to pay money for that piece of <deleted>.

Insightful art critique there - thanks. 

 

Art can be a very wise investment. 

 

Around 10-20 years ago I made a killing from limited editions and the odd original. Limit something, art,cars, stamps, wine whatever and human nature is to want it and the price goes up accordingly. 

 

Whoever bought this has bought wisely. 

[alanrchase]

14 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Banksy is a legend. From my home town as well.

 

Given that he did this in 2009 he was a decade ahead of his time. The PC part of me does feel this is a bit unfair to primates though.

Considering Planet of The Apes came out in 1968 it is not exactly an original idea.

[malibukid]

wish i could have afforded it.  

[Basil B]

14 minutes ago, malibukid said:

wish i could have afforded it.  

Me too, but I would not have bought it, I have other plans for that kind of money. 

[Basil B]

There must be a lot of people who knows Banksy's true identity, that painting must have taken weeks to paint, bet he showed it to many friends, and where do you buy a canvas and frame that size? and hardly a one man job to move it.

[JamesBlond]

I can't think of a better symbol of modern day human fatuity and vacuousness than the current Banksy mania.

Banksy is mainly a purveyor of lame quips and puns - every one of his works boils down to a very weak cartoon such as we see in the papers every day - only his are much weaker.  Any one of us could come up with a hundred of these ideas in a day, but probably don't want to.

 

This one is apparently not a painting as such, but 'oil and digital print'. Perhaps someone could explain exactly what that is, because I can't find an explanation on the internet.

[sanemax]

12 hours ago, Basil B said:

There must be a lot of people who knows Banksy's true identity, that painting must have taken weeks to paint, bet he showed it to many friends, and where do you buy a canvas and frame that size? and hardly a one man job to move it.

The guy from Massive attack (band)

[katana]

Google "Robin Gunningham" for his identity and photographs of him.

[473geo]

I get off my bicycle to walk under a bridge where there is a Banksy, starts my day off nicely simple message is 'Peace'

[JimmyTheMook]

Amazing how BankBoi has still remained anon.