The frantic rush to Banksy prints in 2020 saw prices increase for both signed Banksy prints and unsigned prints dramatically. Amid this surge of collectors to the most infamous street artist in the world, this rise in values saw, quite unprecedentedly, the higher value prints overlap similarly prices original Banksy artworks. A topic for discussion that repeatedly appeared between Andipa and our clients was the choice between an original Banksy painting of a Banksy print which is as a valid a discussion two years ago as it is today.
How to choose a Banksy painting?
Choosing a painting over a print can be daunting for collectors new and experienced within Banksy. When choosing a painting, as we stress when choosing any artwork, it is vital that you purchase something that you enjoy. Many collectors of Andipa talk about the joy they have in living with the artworks they purchase and experiencing the artwork whether it is in their primary residence or home away from home. This joy that a well chosen artwork, that is rich in subject matter, that resonates with you and can bring such emotion to one’s life is a joy to behold. The second topic of consideration is that certain Banksy motifs may exist only in painting form or only in print form - Kids on Guns for example - thus understanding what the options available to you are thematically can assist you in making the right decision. What’s more, when looking at value and the possibility of an artwork increasing in value the principal reason as to why paintings and originals are more valuable is due to two main factors: they are created by the artist's hand and often, with Banksy, the edition sizes are less. Much like Andy Warhol, Banksy created editioned original canvases which generally are smaller edition sizes than his print output.
Why choose an original over a print?
As mentioned, the values of the most popular Banksy prints seemingly overlap, and in some cases, surpass, those of original canvases. When deciding between the two, choosing an original can be of benefit in a number of ways. Firstly, original artworks are, inherently, rarer. Whether it is an edition work such as Heavy Weaponry or a work that is unique in its format such as 3D Rat, there are many less Banksy originals than prints which are often in editions of 150 signed and 250 unsigned. As such, this small edition size makes them rarer and highly desirable. Access to original artworks is much harder and difficult to obtain - indeed, Banksy paintings, when compared to prints, appear much less frequently at auction and are not as subject to market factors at times.
Works to consider and overlap…
The rarer and most sort after Bansky prints, Girl with Balloon for example, often fit in with price levels for iconic Banksy originals such as Heavy Weaponry or Bad Meaning Good, and are worth strong consideration. Heavy Weaponry, in particular, from a signed edition of 25 is a motif known by all Banksy collectors as the elephant with rocket launcher has appeared on original Pest Control certificates and as a blindstamp on many works including Banksquiat and the seminal NOLA print. Equally Bad Meaning Good is an excellent example of Banksy’s earlier works. The artwork, produced in 2002, was created as a part of a series which Banksy worked on between 2002 and 2003 in which he depicted four different album covers for the Bad Meaning Good music compilations.
On Banksy originals, Director Acoris Andipa says, “For over 17 years we have assisted collectors across the world to acquire rare and important Banksy prints and originals. When discussing options for clients, its with great pleasure that we can suggest works, either in print or original format, of such calibre.”
For more information on any of the works featured and to speak to Andipa, contact our gallery via sales@andipa.com or call +44 (0)20 7581 1244.