- “Banksy: Genius or Vandal?” has already toured Moscow, St Petersburg, Madrid and Lisbon
- The show will also feature an audiovisual installation capturing the British urban artist’s remarkable rise
Popular British urban artist Banksy is cheeky, subversive and notoriously elusive " and he's coming to Hong Kong in December.
To be shown in Asia for the first time, "Banksy: Genius or Vandal?", organised by Art Projectors Hong Kong in partnership with Last Bullet Production and HKPI, will showcase more than 70 pieces by the artist, whose identity remains unknown.
The show has already toured Moscow, St Petersburg, Madrid and Lisbon and has been visited by more than 700,000 people.
Also featured in the exhibition is a specially created audiovisual installation capturing Banksy's remarkable rise. It depicts the many turning points in his career, as well as revealing as much as possible about his mysterious persona.
Undoubtedly, the highlight will be the silk screen of the Girl with Balloon series, just like the one he destroyed at a Sotheby's auction in London last October.
This incident, perhaps Banksy's most infamous discretion in recent history, simultaneously boosted the impact of the artist's cultural influence as well as the commercial value of his work.
Based on an earlier graffiti mural he did in 2002, Girl With Balloon depicts a young girl letting go of a red, heart-shaped balloon. It sold for US$1.4 million, far more than the initial estimate. The moment it was sold, it self-destructed through a shredder that had been incorporated into the frame.
Later on, the artist quashed rumours of the auction house's involvement in a post on his Instagram page, stating: "Some people think it didn't really shred. It did. Some people think the auction house were in on it, they weren't."
Banksy remains just as committed to his mission of constantly challenging the rules of the art world. In fact, the artist is so determined to separate himself from "the system" and to maintain his autonomy that even this exhibition (like all previous exhibitions) is not authorised by the artist.
"Banksy: Genius or Vandal?", December 20, 2019 to March 1, 2020. Admission: Mon-Fri HK$180; Sat, Sun and public holidays HK$210. Tickets online at www.banksyexhibitionhk.com
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