7 ms·

This is a well orchestrated publicity stunt. A reputed auction house like Sotheby's would never put an item up before thoroughly checking and documenting it. P

by nns 8y ago

This is a well orchestrated publicity stunt. A reputed auction house like Sotheby's would never put an item up before thoroughly checking and documenting it. Post this stunt, the artwork will now be valued much higher than what it sold for at this auction. Banksy has been known for such ingenious and clever marketing stunts.

spuz 8y ago
Please tell me which other ingenious and clever marketing stunts Banksy, the anti-capitalist artist who refuses to allow his work or even prints (with rare exceptions) to be sold is known for?
- JumpCrisscross 8y ago
  > Banksy, the anti-capitalist artist (Alleged) anti-capitalism and marketing are not mutually exclusive. Banksy has an eye for publicity, from selling his art for $60 on New York’s streets [1] to parading a painted packiderm [2]. Whether it’s to sell his art (which it does), sell his name (which it also does) or sell his ideas (which it does, too) is orthogonal to it being clever and effective marketing. [1] https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/jun/12/banskey-prints-new-york-stall-fortune-bonhams https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/artanddesig... [2] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5355638.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5355638.stm
  - spuz 8y ago
    Yes, in this case Banksy is clearly trying sell his name and idea, I can't dispute that. But the comment I replied to implied it was done in partnership with Sothebys in order to increase the value of his art and therefore make more money from it. At least, that is how I read it. That kind of 'marketing stunt' is one that just doesn't fit into his MO which makes it hard to believe.
    - irishcoffee 8y ago
      It was the very last peice sold. If it had been sold at the beginning or middle, odds are the whole auction shuts down, at best the tone changes. This was calculated.
      - gscott 8y ago
        Someone had to put in new batteries in it and they took it off the wall right away to show that there was no cord. It is possible the auctioneer himself was not in on it but others had to be.
  - anigbrowl 8y ago
    Pachyderm.
- f055 8y ago
  Moco museum in Amsterdam sells in its giftshop Banksy artworks on pretty much everything, from posters to mugs.
  - clydethefrog 8y ago
    Banksy is NOT [...] represented by Steve Lazarides or any other commercial gallery. http://banksy.co.uk/faq.asp http://banksy.co.uk/faq.asp
    - f055 8y ago
      So how is Moco able to sell merchandise? Infringement?
- avoutthere 8y ago
  For an "anti-capitalist", he sure has a lot of books for sale on Amazon.
  - TaylorAlexander 8y ago
    I could often be described as an “anti-capitalist”, in the sense that I advocate for newer systems of organization of labor and productive resources, but I recognize that I do not live in a post-capitalist society. I still need to participate in the capitalist world to participate in society and acquire the resources I need to survive and thrive. An anti-capitalist will often need to participate in capitalism. They can still work to build an alternative system even as they participate in this one. The process of promoting or designing a new system could benefit greatly from some capitalist wealth to reach others who may want to exit.
  - CPLX 8y ago
    This is my least favorite criticism ever. “Like, hey man, if you’re complaining that the system is totally unfair and forces most people powerlessly into a narrow set of compromised choices, why are you making one of those choices?” When I worked with Tom Morello he used to get it all the time too. It’s a bogus argument. There’s no requirement that one leave the system they are in prior to expressing fundamental doubts about that system.
    - blamelessjay 8y ago
      the force in this case being banksy’s (or morello’s) desire to partake of the benefits of capitalism?
    - cthalupa 8y ago
      Tom Morello has been happy to use his fame and status to try and get his way with things. https://www.facebook.com/The5PointCafe/posts/10152682441629277 https://www.facebook.com/The5PointCafe/posts/101526824416292...
  - raverbashing 8y ago
    "Capitalism is dead" t-shirts are on sale now
- acomjean 8y ago
  I like the art booth set up outside the MET museum in NYC http://gothamist.com/2013/10/13/video_banksy_set_up_a_pop_up_booth.php http://gothamist.com/2013/10/13/video_banksy_set_up_a_pop_up... For someone who will create some some street art and literally have the owners remove the wall to sell it.. http://gothamist.com/2013/12/04/banksy_red_hook_wall_now_behind_vel.php http://gothamist.com/2013/12/04/banksy_red_hook_wall_now_beh...
chrischen 8y ago
Well I guess they must be feeling very charitable because they allowed the value to skyrocket after bidding ended.
- spuz 8y ago
  As a piece of performance art, the stunt wouldn't have as much impact if it was shredded during the auction. The idea of establishing a classical 'value' of an object by process of auction only for that object to be classically devalued moments later allows you to explore what gave that thing its value in the first place and what takes away its value after its 'destruction'. Without having a clear moment of delineation between these two states, you don't have a clear way to discuss and understand this question.

by nns 8y ago

spuz 8y ago

Please tell me which other ingenious and clever marketing stunts Banksy, the anti-capitalist artist who refuses to allow his work or even prints (with rare exceptions) to be sold is known for?

JumpCrisscross 8y ago
> Banksy, the anti-capitalist artist (Alleged) anti-capitalism and marketing are not mutually exclusive. Banksy has an eye for publicity, from selling his art for $60 on New York’s streets [1] to parading a painted packiderm [2]. Whether it’s to sell his art (which it does), sell his name (which it also does) or sell his ideas (which it does, too) is orthogonal to it being clever and effective marketing. [1] https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/jun/12/banskey-prints-new-york-stall-fortune-bonhams https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/artanddesig... [2] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5355638.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5355638.stm
- spuz 8y ago
  Yes, in this case Banksy is clearly trying sell his name and idea, I can't dispute that. But the comment I replied to implied it was done in partnership with Sothebys in order to increase the value of his art and therefore make more money from it. At least, that is how I read it. That kind of 'marketing stunt' is one that just doesn't fit into his MO which makes it hard to believe.
  - irishcoffee 8y ago
    It was the very last peice sold. If it had been sold at the beginning or middle, odds are the whole auction shuts down, at best the tone changes. This was calculated.
    - gscott 8y ago
      Someone had to put in new batteries in it and they took it off the wall right away to show that there was no cord. It is possible the auctioneer himself was not in on it but others had to be.
- anigbrowl 8y ago
  Pachyderm.
f055 8y ago
Moco museum in Amsterdam sells in its giftshop Banksy artworks on pretty much everything, from posters to mugs.
- clydethefrog 8y ago
  Banksy is NOT [...] represented by Steve Lazarides or any other commercial gallery. http://banksy.co.uk/faq.asp http://banksy.co.uk/faq.asp
  - f055 8y ago
    So how is Moco able to sell merchandise? Infringement?
avoutthere 8y ago
For an "anti-capitalist", he sure has a lot of books for sale on Amazon.
- TaylorAlexander 8y ago
  I could often be described as an “anti-capitalist”, in the sense that I advocate for newer systems of organization of labor and productive resources, but I recognize that I do not live in a post-capitalist society. I still need to participate in the capitalist world to participate in society and acquire the resources I need to survive and thrive. An anti-capitalist will often need to participate in capitalism. They can still work to build an alternative system even as they participate in this one. The process of promoting or designing a new system could benefit greatly from some capitalist wealth to reach others who may want to exit.
- CPLX 8y ago
  This is my least favorite criticism ever. “Like, hey man, if you’re complaining that the system is totally unfair and forces most people powerlessly into a narrow set of compromised choices, why are you making one of those choices?” When I worked with Tom Morello he used to get it all the time too. It’s a bogus argument. There’s no requirement that one leave the system they are in prior to expressing fundamental doubts about that system.
  - blamelessjay 8y ago
    the force in this case being banksy’s (or morello’s) desire to partake of the benefits of capitalism?
  - cthalupa 8y ago
    Tom Morello has been happy to use his fame and status to try and get his way with things. https://www.facebook.com/The5PointCafe/posts/10152682441629277 https://www.facebook.com/The5PointCafe/posts/101526824416292...
- raverbashing 8y ago
  "Capitalism is dead" t-shirts are on sale now
acomjean 8y ago
I like the art booth set up outside the MET museum in NYC http://gothamist.com/2013/10/13/video_banksy_set_up_a_pop_up_booth.php http://gothamist.com/2013/10/13/video_banksy_set_up_a_pop_up... For someone who will create some some street art and literally have the owners remove the wall to sell it.. http://gothamist.com/2013/12/04/banksy_red_hook_wall_now_behind_vel.php http://gothamist.com/2013/12/04/banksy_red_hook_wall_now_beh...

chrischen 8y ago

Well I guess they must be feeling very charitable because they allowed the value to skyrocket after bidding ended.

spuz 8y ago
As a piece of performance art, the stunt wouldn't have as much impact if it was shredded during the auction. The idea of establishing a classical 'value' of an object by process of auction only for that object to be classically devalued moments later allows you to explore what gave that thing its value in the first place and what takes away its value after its 'destruction'. Without having a clear moment of delineation between these two states, you don't have a clear way to discuss and understand this question.