Banksy Think Tank
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Ink, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary More Art
Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Prints and Multiples
Adhesive, Color
Early 2000s English Posters
Paper
People Also Browsed
1970s Cubist Portrait Prints
Lithograph
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Prints and Multiples
Offset
1960s Surrealist Landscape Prints
Lithograph
1970s Prints and Multiples
Lithograph
Vintage 1980s American Modern Contemporary Art
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Contemporary Art
Fabric, Acrylic, Yarn, Thread, Silk, Textile
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Nouveau Picture Frames
Silver
Late 20th Century Dutch Modern Decorative Art
Metal
20th Century American Posters
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Furniture
Fabric, Acrylic, Yarn, Thread, Silk, Tapestry, Textile
Late 20th Century Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Watercolor
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Sofas
Leather, Upholstery, Wicker, Bentwood
20th Century American Decorative Art
Paper
20th Century Folk Art More Prints
Archival Pigment
Late 20th Century Prints
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract More Art
Resin, Vinyl
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary Central American Picture Frames
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art More Art
Adhesive, Color
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Prints and Multiples
Adhesive, Color
Early 2000s British Post-Modern Posters
Paper
Early 2000s British Post-Modern Posters
Paper
Early 2000s British Post-Modern Posters
Paper
Banksy for sale on 1stDibs
Of the numerous feats that Banksy has accomplished over the course of his career as an international artist, activist and filmmaker, perhaps the most astonishing is that while he is among the most famous figures in street art, he has managed to remain completely anonymous.
There is a method behind the madness, however. Banksy maintains that he chooses to conceal his identity to make a more democratic impact with his work, the themes of which include criticism of world leaders, consumerism and terrorism.
Although not much is known about Banksy — he sent a photo of himself with a paper bag on his head to Time magazine for a profile — it is believed that he was born in the city of Bristol, in southwest England, circa 1974. Wit, irreverence, dark humor and activism come together in his work, which spans graffiti, paintings, prints, sculptures and filmmaking. (His film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, which focuses on another street artist known as Mr. Brainwash, was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 2010 Academy Awards.)
Banksy began as a graffiti artist in his hometown in the early 1990s. He has found fame for his stenciled and spray-painted pieces, which are most often rooted in anti-war or antiestablishment messaging, appearing in cities such as London, New York and Los Angeles and for his “stunts” that are intended to subvert and provoke the art world. One particularly memorable stunt took place in 2018, when, as soon as one of his paintings sold at auction — Girl with a Balloon, which fetched an extraordinary $1.4 million — it self-destructed and proceeded to partially shred itself. Banksy even snuck into the Louvre and hung his own version of the Mona Lisa in 2006. Despite his elusive persona and commitment to bringing art to the masses, Banksy is one of the most coveted artists at auctions across the world.
And his work is undeniably impactful.
At a record-breaking auction organized by Damien Hirst, Bono and others to benefit AIDS charities in 2008, Banksy’s Keep It Spotless — a modified Hirst painting — fetched nearly $2 million. In May of 2020, Banksy donated Game Changer, a painting that honors UK healthcare workers, to Southampton General Hospital. When it went to auction in 2021, it sold for more than $23 million at Christie's in London. All proceeds went to the National Health Service.
Find original Banksy art for sale on 1stDibs.