Being Anonymous - Banksy

Yesterday I was looking at this Paul Nash water colour painting of Silbury Mound and trying to work out Nash's perspective, and coming to the conclusion that it was slightly out of kilter.  The small house against Silbury does not exist, did it exist in 1935 probably not. The steps were intriguing as well, given the now condemnation of anyone climbing this hill, that it should have steps at all.  Further research revealed that this painting went on the market in 2004, the reserve price being around £5000, but it in actual fact sold for £33,000 not a bad price for a painting that seems quickly made, though attractive in its own right.

But today another item is going on sale in America, this is a Banksy graffiti painting called 'Slave Labour' on the side of a wall in North London, LS.' article gives the details.  We discussed it this morning agreeing that the morality of taking this artwork from its original place, and where it was making a Banksy statement was very wrong, Banksy states that it was  no longer part of his work as it has been moved out of context, thereby anyone who buys it will not have his authority.  Good socialist that he is and part of the Bristolian street artists, though now famous all over the world for his artwork, it will be interesting to see what happens at the sale...... Funnily enough a little rat has been drawn at the site where (with some difficulty one would think) the block of concrete was removed, and 'Why' has been written......

Edit; Withdrawn from auction at the last moment, wonder why?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/feb/23/banksy-missing-mural-auction-stopped

So the 'get rich quick merchants' have been stopped in their tracks for the time being, and the question where does street art reside maybe is that it is returned to the street where its social comment is part of what Banksy is saying to the public at large, the artwork is not there for private gain - the context is the art and the message.  Still legal problems of ownership rights, between the person who owns the wall, and Banksy who paints anonymously will prove an intriguing conundrum in the future and hopefully there can be only one winner....