After lunch, to Bonhams in the charabanc to view some arty items previewing for the so-called first ever Urban Art auction. No Sol or San Mig. so had to endure the daubings sober.
The star piece imo is the ultra pink Sid/spikey punk canvas by Banksy. Most spectacular is the multiple Laugh Now from that bar in Brighton, shame more care wasn’t taken in removing it. The Guy Dennings pair look gorgeous.
It is worth popping along to the preview given the number of works you may not have seen in the flesh before.
Bonhams have used the same lighting as BRP at their recent show which makes the dullest screen print look like it has had the lightbox treatment.
I’ve been told that bloggies like a good moan, so: it’s hard to shake off the impression that there are too many large edition prints, some (D*Face Lenticular, called “Dizzie Rascals” by Bonhams but I don’t recall it having that name on release) only released 2 months ago. Also it’s a bit Keith Haring heavy. Quite why the seller needs to include an “Authorised Graffiti Area” sticker with Happy Chopper defeats me, Gareth Williams, Bonham’s annointed Senior Urban Art specialist says it “came with the print at the show”, well blow me, at most shows one can rely on necking a bit of bubbly, so why not a free bottle of champers with all the other items. And the catalogue is a bit pricey, dammit.
Provenance on some items must be a bit iffy. Asking the staff about the Paris CD, they reckoned anyone cloning Banksy would be doing it for more expensive items. I reckon anyone of that bent with half a brain went out and bought a few legit Paris CDs that week (to obtain receipts) and has been churning CDs out since, cos there is no possible provenance on that (can “Banksy’s people” distinguish a CD burner/photocopier copy from the original?).
