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BANKSY British b. 1974 Lithograph on Paper Happy SWAT

Currency:USD Category:Antiques Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 2,500.00 USD
BANKSY British b. 1974 Lithograph on Paper Happy SWAT
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Lithograph on paper. Featuring a SWAT member with happy face. Signed and attr. Banksy (British, born 1974) on the lower right corner with series 1/250 in pencil with BANKSY stamped and gallery notation inscribed in pencil on verso. 30 x 20 cm (11.8 x 7.9 inches). Banksy is a British street artist and activist who, despite his international fame, has maintained an anonymous identity. Aimed as a form of cultural criticism, the artist often targets established social and political agendas with his witty illustrations produced with stencils and spray paint. “The art world is the biggest joke,” he said. “It’s a rest home of the over privileged, the pretentious, and the weak.” Although details of the artist’s life are largely unknown, it is thought that Banksy was born in Bristol, United Kingdom, c. 1974, starting his career as a graffiti artist in the city. Better Out Than In, Banksy’s month-long residency in New York during October 2013, featured a man hawking the artist’s paintings for $60 a piece outside Central Park. In 2015, Banksy opened Dismaland Bemusement Park, a temporary art exhibition that functioned as a theme park. After a 36-day run, its workers and materials were sent to the Calais migrant camp to build additional housing. Despite the artist’s aversion to the art world, he continues to produce works on canvas as well as prints and T-shirts. The question as to who Banksy is, continued to reach the headlines when in 2017 Robert Del Naja, the singer of the band Massive Attack was falsely rumored to be Banksy. The artist currently lives and works in the United Kingdom. PROVENANCE: Private collection (Toronto, Canada)