Banksy’s tribute to health workers sells for record $20 million at auction
A Banksy painting showing a boy playing with a toy nurse as a superhero sold for more than $20 million on Tuesday, setting an auction record for the elusive British street artist.
“Game Changer”, unveiled last May at University Hospital Southampton, paid tribute to the frontline workers of Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The black-and-white hand-painted artwork shows a boy lifting a nurse, her arm outstretched and wearing a cape, while traditional superheroes Batman and Spider-Man lie in a bin.
Through Southampton Hospitals Charity, proceeds from the sale will be used to “fund wellbeing projects for staff and patients, and distributed to a wider community of healthcare providers both within the NHS and charitable sectors,” Christie’s said.
A reproduction of the painting will hang in the hospital, it said.
In a Christie’s auction streamed live, the painting sold for a hammer price of 14.4 million pounds ($19.85 million). Added fees gave it a final price of 16.75 million pounds, a world auction record for Banksy, according to Christie’s.
The painting had carried an estimate of 2.5-3.5 million pounds.
“Banksy is an extraordinary artist who is a constant barometer of nationwide sentiment,” Katharine Arnold, Co-Head, Post-War and Contemporary Art, Europe at Christie’s, said in a statement.
“With the perfect image of a little boy playing with his superhero doll; a nurse sporting the international Red Cross, he perfectly captured the essence of this moment in time.”
David French, Interim Chief Executive Officer at University Hospital Southampton, said: “This incredible gift will be invaluable in helping us to focus on promoting and protecting the welfare of our staff as they heal and recover from the last year.”
The sale took place as Britons across the country on Tuesday marked one year since Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the nation into its first lockdown.
A minute’s silence was observed to remember the more than 126,000 people who have lost their lives to the virus.
Read alsoHungarian artist Munkácsy’s painting was sold for over $5,000,000 – PHOTOS
Source: Reuters
please make a donation here
Hot news
Top Hungary news: Festive trains, Wizz passengers stuck in Belgium, minimum wage increase, lego tram — 21 November, 2024
Hungary stands firm on Russian energy: FM Szijjártó defends sovereignty amid EU criticism
Wizz Air flight delayed for 18 hours: Passengers stuck in Brussels airport
Official: Minimum wage in Hungary to rise in 2025
Hop on a festive train to Vienna and Zagreb’s Christmas markets with MÁV!
Hungary launches EUR 500,000 humanitarian aid for persecuted Christians through Hungary Helps programme
1 Comment
Of equal, if not of greater importance is that Banksy left a hand written note for workers.
The note said :
” Thanks for all you’re doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if it’s only black and white.”
Message in that the DEEDS we can do for others, in words thoughts and actions – worth some serious thinking, and possible doing, in these CHALLENGING and Uncertain times we are living in.