BANKSY
(i) Untitled (Flower Thrower)
(ii) Untitled (Laugh Now Monkey)
(iii) Untitled (Bomb Hugger)
Each: acrylic and spraypaint stencil on canvas
Each: 43x43cm (16 7/8 x 16 7/8 inches)
Each: Stenciled with the signature on the overlap
(i) Signed, numbered 1/5 and dated 2002 on the stretcher
(ii) Signed, numbered 1/1 and dated LA 2002 on the stretcher
(iii) Signed, numbered 4/5 and dated LA 2002 on the stretcher
Provenance
33 1/3 Gallery, Los Angeles
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner in 2002
Exhibited
Los Angeles, 33 1/3 Gallery, Existencilism, 2002
Auction History
Sotheby’s London: 2 July 2008
Estimated: GBP 100,000 – 150,000
GBP 121,250 / USD 241,320
Banksy held his first Los Angeles exhibition, Existencilism, at the 33 1/3 Gallery.
The title is typical Banksy humor whereby he intentionally misspells the word “Existentialism” by throwing “stencil” in it – certainly a playful way for the artist to elevate street and stencil art to a school of thought as important as philosophy.
Existencilism is also the title of Banksy’s second self-published book from May, 2002.
Existencilism opened on July 19, 2002. Despite the fact that it was the artist’s debut in the US, the show was very successful and very nearly sold-out.
Some of Banksy’s most iconic works were shown to the public for the first time at this event including Love Is In The Air, Barcode, Queen Victoria, and Laugh Now. A few years later he would return to Los Angeles to create the smash hit Barely Legal.
Love Is In The Air
Barcode Leopard
Bomb Hugger
Laugh Now
Bird and Grenade
