You Told Me That Joke Twice, 2000
Acrylic, spray enamel and oil-stick on canvas
124.8 x 165.1 cm (49×65 inches)
Unique
Stencil-signed “BANKSY”, lower right
Sotheby’s New-York: 14 November 2012
USD 268,500
Exhibited
Severnshed, Bristol, 2000
Prior Auction
Christie’s London: 11 February 2010
GBP 169,250
You Told That Joke Twice is one of Banksy’s rare, incredibly painterly original canvases. Depicted in dynamic, colorful brush strokes and spray paint, the image shows a clown being taken away by the police, suggested by the title that he is being punished for having told the same joke twice.
This vibrant piece is a humorous commentary by Banksy against the unfairness of police brutality, which is a common subject tackled throughout the artist’s oeuvre.
Exhibited at Banksy’s seminal first indoor exhibit at Severnshed in his hometown of Bristol, this work shows the playful wit associated with Banksy’s pared down compositions.
