Love Is In The Air ‘Flower Thrower’ 2003 Unsigned

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Love Is In The Air ‘Flower Thrower’ 2003 Unsigned

About the Item

Love Is In The Air (Flower Thrower) 2003 Banksy Love Is In The Air, also known as the Flower Thrower, by Banksy first appeared in 2003 as a large format stencilled graffiti in Jerusalem shortly after the construction of the West Bank Wall. The graffiti was made on the 760-kilometre wall that separates the Palestinian West Bank from Israel, a wall which ‘essentially turns Palestine into the world’s largest open prison’, according to the guerilla artist. The wall rapidly became a giant art canvas for paintings and writings to protest against its construction. Banksy returned there in 2005 to paint a series of 9 provocative works supporting freedom and equality. His combat in favour of peace led him to intervene in Gaza in 2015 where he painted 4 new pieces among the ruins of a bombed city in order to highlight the plight of the people living in the Gaza Strip. Shortly after its creation. Since then, the artist has created several versions of the stencil on canvas but also print runs. It is arguably one of his most iconic and most sought-after artworks which has been reproduced as posters, phone covers, T-shirts by shopkeepers all-over the world. On top of that, the image featured on the cover of Banksy’s 2005 famous book Wall and Piece. The image depicts a photo-realistic angry young man wearing a baseball CAP and a bandana as a mask to cover partially his face. The character is throwing what looks like throwing a Molotov cocktail or a grenade. But the artist's twist is that in fact the young man is throwing a bunch of flowers. The character is made in Banksy's black and white stencil trademark, with a red block colour background. Later, Banksy created a painting on canvas entitled Flower Power in which he incorporated the image of his famous Flower Thrower in a chaotic riot scene. The image is representative of Banksy's artistic style but also his political ideas and his activism in general and is reminiscent of images from the 1960s campus and street riots that rocked the United States and the United Kingdom during the Vietnam War. On can see anger and aggressiveness in the posture of the character who leans backward with one arm out. But instead of being truly aggressive, the protagonist holds the embodiment of love and peace and is ready to spread this feeling (even by using force), which echoes the title of the artwork. The flowers, as they are here the only weapon for the protestor, show a call for peace. Originally painted in a conflict-ridden area in Jerusalem, the mural directly addressed the authorities and exhibited the artist's hope for peace. The young man, presented as a militant, suggests peaceful means rather than war. The intense and uniform red colour in the background which was added to the print reinforces the intensity of the artist's message. In 2003, Love Is In The Air was released as a print on the red background with an edition of 150 Love Is In The Air (Flower Thrower) signed prints and 500 unsigned prints. Condition: Excellent Signed limited edition with official Pest Control Certificate Measurements: Height 25.5” inches / 65cm Width 33” inches / 84cm Depth 1” inches / 2.5cm.

Creator:
Banksy (Artist)
Dimensions:
Height: 33.5 in (85.09 cm)Width: 33 in (83.82 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)
Style:
Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Paper
Place of Origin:
United Kingdom
Period:
21st Century
Date of Manufacture:
2005
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Longdon, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1832323525542

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Banksy

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.