Rare works from Banksy going under the hammer

A rare version of one of Banksy’s best-known works is going under the hammer.

Girl With Balloon (Colour AP – Gold) is being sold as part of a Christie’s online-only sale dedicated to prints and editions by the subversive street artist.

Titled Banksy: I Can’t Believe You Morons Actually Buy This S***, the name of the auction pays homage to his famous Morons screenprint.

The work is based on a photograph of the record-breaking sale of Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers in 1987, with van Gogh’s canvas replaced by Banksy’s text.

Girl With Balloon (Colour AP – Gold) leads the auction and is expected to fetch between £800,000-£1.2 million.

The image of the girl with the red balloon is one of Banksy’s most famous works, but there were a limited number of signed artist’s proofs made in other colour variations.

Auctioneers said they were extremely sought after.

The sale also features some of the artist’s best-known screenprints, including a signed impression of Rude Copper, which is expected to sell for between £100,000-150,000.

Two colour variations on Banksy’s famed Kate Moss work could go for as much as £250,000 each, auctioneers said.

The Banksy: I Can’t Believe You Morons Actually Buy This S*** sale will be on view at Christie’s headquarters in London as part of the pre-sale exhibition from September 17 to 22.

Bidding is open now until September 23.

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