BANKSY
Heavy Weaponry, 2002
Acrylic and spray enamel on canvas
45.6 x 53 cm (18 x 20 7/8 inches)
From a series, unique in this format
Stenciled-signed “BANKSY” lower right
Provenance
AndA Boutique, Tokyo
Private collection
Anon. sale; Christie’s, London, 01 July 2008, lot 332
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner
Auction History
Christie’s New-York: 11 November 2010
Estimated: USD 50,000 – 70,000
USD 74,500
Banksy (b. 1975) , Heavy Weaponry | Christie’s
REPEAT SALE
Christie’s London: 1 July 2008
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 40,000
GBP 34,850
Banksy (b. 1975) , Heavy Weaponry | Christie’s
Heavy Weaponry depicts a singular elephant made in Banksy’s recognizable stencil style with a rocket strapped to its back, hence the double-entendre in the witty title. The entire composition consists of a minimally depicted animal simply strolling forward, heavy with irony. The artist’s signature is visible in the bottom right-hand corner rendered in light grey stenciled capital letters.
The general message is obviously anti-military, in line with Banksy’s other works using similar imagery. Using the elephant as a symbol resonates with other famous Banksy works featuring various animals that represent ordinary people or the ‘masses’ vis-a-vis the establishment and the military-industrialist complex.
