Not long after an anonymous group burned one of his paintings in order to create a permanent NFT piece, the name Banksy continues to appear in headlines, as Christie’s auctions has announced the sale of his recent paintings.
Entitled Game Changer, the painting will be auctioned as part of its 20th Century Art Evening Sale this March 23. It has a resale estimate of £2,500,000-3,500,000 (approx. $3.4-4.9 million).
Originally a gift to the Southampton General Hospital by Banksy amid the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hand painted artwork portrays Batman and Spiderman toy figures inside a trash can, as a child clutches a new idol in the form of a masked nurse dressed in the international uniform of the Red Cross.
The place where the original painting was displayed will now be occupied by a reproduction of Game Changer, waiting for future patients, visitors and staff at the hospital. Additionally, proceeds from the sale of the original work will benefit the NHS.
“Appearing at a time when countries across the world applauded their frontline workers from their doorsteps during the first global lockdown, and painted rainbows in support, ‘Game Changer’ spoke directly to the international zeitgeist. Until now, the work has only been seen in person by frontline medical staff and those admitted to hospital for treatment: the auction marks ’Game Changer”s first appearance outside of the hospital,” said Christie’s in a statement.