Between 2002 and 2003, Banksy designed four album covers for the Bad Meaning Good music compilations. Created from tracks chosen by different artists and recorded on CD and vinyl, these compilations range from electronic and hip-hop, to jazz, rock, funk and reggae.


“I’ve done a few things to pay the bills, and I did the Blur album. It was a good record and [the commission was] quite a lot of money. I think that’s a really important distinction to make. If it’s something you actually believe in, doing something commercial doesn’t turn it to shit just because it’s commercial. Otherwise you’ve got to be a socialist rejecting capitalism altogether, because the idea that you can marry a quality product with a quality visual and be a part of that even though it’s capitalistic is sometimes a contradiction you can’t live with. But sometimes it’s pretty symbiotic, like the Blur situation.”

As one of the defining artists of the contemporary art world, Banksy has left an enduring legacy. Emerging as a street artist in the early 1990s, he never shied away from political and social commentary through his satirical and subversive works. His indifference to his celebrity status has cemented his legacy as outlaw who stands in stark opposition to the established order of the art world. Managing to straddle the commercial, artistic and street worlds, Banksy’s satire and oftentimes biting social commentary is layered with meaning and poignant humor.
Auction Results
Bad Meaning Good, 2002
Estimated: GBP 150,000 – 200,000
GBP 277,200 / USD 382,000

BANKSY (b. 1974)
Bad Meaning Good, 2002
Acrylic and spray paint on canvas
40.9 x 40.6 cm (16 1/8 x 15 7/8 inches)
Stenciled with the artist’s name on the overturn edge
Opera Gallery, New York
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Badmeaninggood, 2002
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 40,000
Estimated: GBP 15,000 – 20,000

Badmeaninggood, 2002
Acrylic and spray paint on canvas
40×40 cm (15 3/4 x 15 3/4 inches)
Stenciled with the artist’s name on the overturn edge
Signed and numbered 1/4 on the reverse
This work is number 1 from an edition of 4
Provenance
Private Collection (acquired from the artist)
Sotheby’s, London, Contemporary Art, 20 October 2008, Lot 324
Acquired from the above by the present owner