A truck painted by Banksy was offered for sale in auction, on an estimate of $ 1.8 M
Next to collector cars at an auction held on September 14 by Bonhams in Chichester, England, will be an outsider: a truck painted by Banksy. Normally, a Volvo FL6 would be worth a few thousand dollars. But turned into "an artwork" , qualified by the British auction house as the biggest work by Banksy, the vehicle is estimated between 1 million and 1.5 million pounds (about $ 2 million).
Banksy began to decorate the heavyweight at a party held in Spain in 2000 to celebrate the new millennium, at the request of Mojo, the co-founder of Turbozone International Circus, a tourism company. The street artist finished the work entitled Turbo Zone Truck (Laugh Now But One Day We'll Be In Charge) in about two weeks, then the truck has traveled Europe and Asia for several years to transport the Turbonoze International Circus teams.
The loaded decor of the vehicle contrasts with the sobriety of Banksy's recent work. In a vibrant and colorful style, graffiti represent winged monkeys, soldiers fleeing a bull and a man preparing to smash a TV with a hammer.
Commenting on the 80-square-meter painting, Ralph Taylor, the director of the Bonhams contemporary art section, pointed out that the work showed "all the marks of the unparalleled provocateur that is Banksy" and added: "He is undoubtedly the most important artist to have emerged since the year 2000, and this creation represents a new reference for his upcoming works to be auctioned. "
Bonhams had already sold a vehicle bearing Banksy's signature. In 2016, the auction house sold for 244,000 € a van repainted by the artist 10 years ago as part of its exhibition "Barely Legal" in Los Angeles. The work was estimated between € 220,000 and € 330,000. The artist's current auction record was reached with Sotheby's selling Girl With Balloon for € 1.1 million.
Truck did not sell at the auction. A Bonham's spokeswoman said it was considering a number of offers which had been made after the sale.
