Urban Art Association

much of banksy's work is very british, both in terms of literal content (tesco references, cctv etc) and style of humour. i can see why they'd be a bit bemused by his popularity

I don't think he is hated but rather that most people are indifferent. He just doesn't have the profile in NYC that he does in the UK and until that is fixed his work will languish over here, and having pieces fail at auction really doesn't help. You have only to look at the auction results to see that Banksy work goes for a substantial discount to UK prices.

The fact that Banksy is mentioned in the same paragraph as Bacon, Warhol, Koons and Hirst is only a good thing...regardless if it sold or not, right?

Auctions (especially a Sotheby's evening sale) are international by nature whether they're held in NY, Paris, London, Amsterdam, or Tokyo. There are enough eyes pouring over these books that you can't cite action in a US held auction as any different than that of a London auction. The evening sales are advertised to the extreme. The Banksy fanatics in the UK were bidding on Sale ends today as well and for whatever reason it didn't hammer. We can all speculate as to why but it doesn't do any good nor does it matter. Personally, I wouldn't read too much into it especially considering the painting was less than 2 years old.

Further, when one can source an artist at a STEEP discount at auction to a dealer, then imho the dealers prices are simply too high. I come from the point of view that the auction sets the price and the dealers follow. Not all subscribe to that mindset and that's ok but I do my business with the dealers that do. I can't blame dealers who set their prices at double the going auction rate as this bull market has made them right in the long term but it does compel me to buy more at auction than I used to. That's the wonderful thing about the internet (and a big reason why the art market has taken off imo), we all have access to price data going back 25 years at our fingertips and can educate ourselves on where the market is today. No longer do you need to be a sophisticated buyer making a deal in the back room of a gallery wondering if you're being taken advantage of. That has only increased the potential number of buyers and in turn prices too.

the only people that appreciate Banksy are artistic types, designers etc. and people on this thread - he is not that well known in Middle America - when he hits and it it is only a matter of time - us guys on this thread are not going to be happy - right now in America people are concentrating on feeding their families and getting there loved ones home safely from the battlefield Banksy is a luxury not a necessity -

haha, because middle america determines what's hot in the US art market? oh man.

it's not that banksy is unknown, but graffiti and street art have been around for a while in the US. also, i think the reason for banksy's lack of popularity is that realistically - uk guys on this thread are not going to be happy - in the greater context of the art world, he's not really that big a deal. if the art world is a huge buffet, banksy is the little kid reaching up to the table to grab a bread rind, with a bunch of little people hanging on to his hoodie tails waiting for him to drop a crumb.

F**k me! Rarely have I read such s**te, what a load of bollocks. That has proper pressed my buttons that has.

LOL, hope you do realize that the NYC art world has a greater claim to this "urban art" genre you mention than London or the UK ever will, that graffiti artists (both traditional graffiti and what we would now term as street art) were being exhibited and indeed auctioned before Banksy picked up a can of paint thanks to the NYC art world. I could mention a few names, but I think the one that should be the most relavent on a forum of this sort would be Keith Harring who many might say was a pioneer for the movement today.

England lays claim to the old art establishment, especially with class hierachies still in place (which is also why Banksy was the best thing the English art world could have asked for), and I think it is about time you admit to yourself that Banksy is part of the art world now and no longer operating outside of it, the art world grew to accomidate him and others like him and that means you can't use that "old art world" as an excuse whenever things don't go well for him (assuming the story is true), especially in a place that is not only responsible for the art and ideals that paved the way for Banksy, but was embracing it as an art before the UK knew it existed.

<cough>bullshite</cough>

haha. trust me... philly's worse

I think Hate was too strong of a word. Not the smarted thing to Generalize and say the majority of any city likes, or doesn't like one particular thing.

I don't think there's many people who are actually into Art who can't appreciate Banksy's contribution to the arts.

Doubt that one of his items ever failed to sell due to lack of interest, if it didn't sell it probably was due to the owner pulling the item from the Auction Block.

Dunno, it's marked as unsold in the results so that piece is burnt. The next auction it's in people will see it went unsold and red flag it. In this particular case though you could probably sell it in the UK because his prices are higher there but usually it would have to be sold privately.

Lemme tell ya, I spent 5 days in NYC and went back there for 3 years the following month, because I had such a fantastic time and found strangers so friendly. NYC is on of the friendliest and (in Manhattan's case) safest cities I've visited. New Yorkers rule and their city is a cultural oasis in the US imo (or at least on the East coast from NYC Southwards).

not to add to the already said but, if anyone was cheering it was probably the crotchy older people that have their panties in a twist over banksy. I think the elders of the art world (more so in the states) are having a hard time excepting banksy's work. Cant say i blame them, Sale Ends Today wasn't exactly a bargain. Also there are still a lot of people who believe that this is all hype and that banksy is just the new beanie babie. I think this will be an ongoing battle for banksy until time proves otherwise.
and new yorkers being considered "rude" is a sweeping generalization or rather a bad stereotype... we just prefer coffee over tea is all