Monkey business? Banksy painting of primates in parliament up for auction - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Monkey business? Banksy painting of primates in parliament up for auction

London | ByReuters
Sep 28, 2019 01:48 PM IST

Devolved Parliament, in which chimpanzees replace politicians, measures 13 feet (4 m) long, making it the largest known canvas by the secretive British street artist, according to Sotheby’s.

A Banksy painting of primates sitting in Britain’s parliament goes under the hammer next week and is expected to fetch up to $2.5 million.

Banksy painting of primates in parliament up for auction.(Banksy/Instagram)
Banksy painting of primates in parliament up for auction.(Banksy/Instagram)

Devolved Parliament, in which chimpanzees replace politicians, measures 13 feet (4 m) long, making it the largest known canvas by the secretive British street artist, according to Sotheby’s.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

With an eye on the 2009 work’s extreme topicality - the House of Commons is witnessing increasingly brutish exchanges over Britain’s EU departure - the auction house has set its estimated price tag at 1.5 million - 2 million pounds ($1.84 million - $2.46 million)

“There’s no doubt that today this image has incredible currency not just here in the UK but across Europe and beyond,” said Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s head of contemporary art, Europe.

“Here we see this, one of our oldest democracies and within it we see the regression towards tribal animalistic behaviour.”

 

Parliament has been at boiling point since it reconvened on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his opponents clashing in hours of furious argument over Brexit.

The artwork will be on display at Sotheby’s London until it goes under the hammer on Oct. 3, a year after another Banksy canvas, “Girl with Balloon”, shredded itself in front of shocked onlookers at a Sotheby’s auction just as it was sold.

“There’s been lots of comment, inevitably,” Branczik said. “...I can say categorically there is no shredder in this frame. It would have to be an incredibly large one and I can say with confidence that that is not the case.”

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter

Oscars 2024: Nominees to Red Carpet Glam! Get Exclusive Coverage on HT. Click Here

Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On