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Banksy has become synonymous with anonymity and boundary-pushing street art. But for those in the know, the mysterious street artist is a philanthropist. Like his latest work (appropriately titled), Game changer As it shows, a lot of Banksy’s works are more about activism and retribution than anything else.
Earlier this week, Game changer, the painting honoring UK healthcare workers, sold for £ 16.7 million ($ 23.1 million) at Christie’s in London. Not only did the sale set a new record as the most expensive Banksy artwork to auction, it was also completely charitable with all proceeds going to the NHS.
The painting shows a young boy who has ditched his Batman and Spiderman figures to play with a toy Red Cross nurse wearing a cape and mask. Banksy donated it to Southampton University Hospital (UHS) in May 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic with a note that read: “Thank you for all that you are doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, if only in black and white. “
It’s a modern tale in the style of Robin Hood, the enigmatic artist who makes smart, politically charged works of art that raise millions for charity. Banksy has been outspoken about many deep social issues, including gang violence, homelessness, state surveillance, and war, and Game changer It is not the first time that his social commentary goes hand in hand with benevolence.
While he may hide behind a hidden identity, in his work Banksy has always advocated for the social duty of an artist, especially now that there is more access to art. “There is a whole new audience and it has never been easier to sell [one’s art]”You’ve kept Banksy.” You don’t have to go to college, drag a portfolio, mail slides to snooty galleries, or sleep with someone powerful – all you need now is some ideas and a broadband connection. It is the first time that the essentially bourgeois art world belongs to the people. We have to make it worthwhile. “
At Christmas 2019, a mural appeared in Birmingham of two reindeer pulling a bench with a homeless man on it. A film accompanying the piece appeared on Banksy’s social media that showed unsuspecting locals giving the man, Ryan, food and drinks. Banksy wrote: “God bless Birmingham. In the 20 minutes we filmed Ryan on this bench, passersby gave him a hot drink, two chocolate bars and a lighter, without him ever asking for anything. “
It turned out that Banksy had created t-shirts and products for a concert in order to raise money for charities for the homeless in Bristol, including The Wild Goose, 1625 Independent People, Feed the Homeless Bristol, and Somewhere to Go. Then when the piece was finally protected it was sold for £ 2,300 (approximately $ 3,160) at Fellows Auctioneers in Birmingham with all proceeds going to the Midland Langar Seva Society (MLSS), an organization that helps the homeless in need in the United Kingdom.
Another Banksy work dedicated to helping the homeless is the 2014 oil painting titled its . Banksy purchased the original oil painting for $ 50 during his New York residency at the Housing Works Charity store and reworked it by painting a Nazi figure in the landscape. The finished work was sent to the charity shop anonymously with a letter explaining that it was a Banksy original. It was later sold at an online auction for $ 615,000 with all proceeds going to the Housing Works Charity to support the city’s homeless.
Another theme that has inspired several of Banksy’s works, the migration crisis – and the mismanagement of Europe – has also been the subject of much of the artist’s philanthropic work. For example, his sculpture from 2015 How heavy it weighs helped raise money for a charity that helps refugees. The remote control boat overloaded with asylum seekers is a powerful commentary on the plight of refugees making the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean. The sculpture was made with materials from a dismantled theme park and all the remaining wood and structural elements were donated by the artist to The Jungle refugee camp in Calais to build refugee shelters.
In 2018, Banksy announced via Instagram that his sculpture of the ship was up for grabs for anyone who made a minimum donation of £ 2 ($ 2.50) to the Help Refugees charity. For a chance to win, participants were asked to guess the weight of the piece to the nearest metric unit until the lucky winner was chosen. According to Choose Love – Help Refugees, Banksy’s campaign raised up to £ 90,000 ($ 123,580) for the cause.
How heavy it weighs It shows how intrinsic goodwill is not only for Banksy’s charitable activities, but also for the art itself. While he may be one of the most hyped contemporary artists of all time, Banksy’s work has always sought to serve a social purpose. Through his ongoing charity projects, Banksy will always be greater than his art.
