Among the 140 pieces on display is Banksy’s Mona Lisa, which was bought directly from the anonymous artist by an unnamed Hollywood A-list actor who has a collection of specially commissioned Banksy works, Starvox Exhibits said in a news release.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
The painting will make its North American debut after it was unveiled at “The Art of Banksy” in London, England, in September 2023. It’s expected to go to auction in the near future and to fetch a record price, after which it’s expected to be withdrawn from public display.
The show, coming to Toronto from its U.K. run, will also include pieces from private collections around the world, including hand-drawn sketches, stencils used in wall graffiti, previously unseen prints and canvases, “fascinating ephemera” and stories from Banksy’s printer, the release said.
Other highlights, according to Starvox, include the first ever “Flower Thrower,” one of Banksy’s most recognizable works, this one a version he created in 1997 for his girlfriend. There will also be three different colour variations of the famous “Girl With Balloon” and “Rude Copper,” as well as an extended display of images from “Dismaland,” with new images acknowledging the war in Ukraine.
“Banksy has become a topic for art critiques as well as a wider audience by combining art, intellectual thought, pop culture and activism. His commentary deserves to be experienced by as wide an audience as possible,” said Starvox CEO Corey Ross in the release.
The exhibit was not curated or authorized by Banksy.
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