BANKSY: Unmasked
A Collection of Works by the Iconic Street Artist & Political Advocate

NEW YORK, NY – December 18, 2020 – Following two landmark exhibitions of works by the pseudonymous and legendary street artist, Banksy, Taglialatella Galleries is proud to announce a third solo exhibition. In a year wrought with uncertainty from the global COVID-19 pandemic, the body of work on exhibition certainly speaks to our time.  With an astounding over 30 works on display, BANKSY: Unmasked is now open to the public through the end of the year at the gallery’s Chelsea location; 229 Tenth Avenue. The exhibition is comprised of works on canvas, limited edition prints, and mixed-media originals iconic images from the artist. As with every exhibition, BANKSY: Unmasked is free to the public to view in a safe and responsible environment, including capacity limits and time restrictions for viewing. 

Whether you are a first time buyer of the notorious artist’s work, or a long time collector, BANKSY: Unmasked is an unbridled experience of the notorious artist’s works.  The BANKSY: Unmasked collection offers Banksy collectors and fans alike a rare opportunity to own a piece of this legendary street master.  Works in the collection range in price from $60,000.00 to $600,000.00. 

Key artworks in BANKSY: Unmasked includes:

Girl With Balloon

Girl With Balloon is amongst Banksy’s most recognizable and sought-after works. It depicts a girl reaching for or releasing a heart-shaped balloon, a symbol of childhood innocence and hope. The black and white stencil prints have been printed with red, purple and gold balloons, the latter two of which have set auction records in the print category in recent years. The red Girl With Balloon painting was also the subject of Banksy’s 2018 Sotheby’s stunt when the painting shredded itself upon the fall of the gavel, which attracted a media frenzy and catapulted the image into the public eye.

Love is in the Air 

Love is in the Air, one of Banksy’s best known figures, was first stenciled in large format on the newly constructed West Bank Wall in Jerusalem. In a region torn by conflict, this image was a statement by the artist about the desperate need for peace. Instead of launching a grenade, the young man prepares to throw a bunch of flowers a universal symbol of peace and kindness. The delicate flowers are juxtaposed with the figure’s aggressive stance, and through this tension Banksy creates suspense that takes the breath away.

The Rolling Stone May Gather No Moss...

Most casual Banksy followers have a misconception of Banksy as a rogue, one-man operation;  a vandal who sneaks from place to place under the cover of darkness stenciling his messages political commentary or  dark humor and moving on to the next one. However, if you inspect the many projects and public graffiti done throughout Banksy’s career, you will find that his artwork is extremely collaborative and often incorporates imagery and ideas from other artists, writers, musicians, and contemporaries throughout various creative fields.

In this particular case, The Rolling Stone May Gather No Moss… painting is a collaboration between the artist and an English comedian, Simon Munnery, who wrote the text for an entire series of works Banksy would famously stencil on repurposed wood, often from crates or boxes, in a font style you  might expect to find in a classic novel or fable. To further the distinction of a collaborative work between creatives, this painting was originally owned by Ronnie Wood, guitarist of “The Rolling Stones”, prior to being sold on the secondary market.

Applause

This image is based on the well-known photograph of George Bush deploying a military bomber in. The traffic controllers hold a sign that reads “Applause” as the fighter jet gets ready to take-off, as though leading an audience in a comedy show. The detailed, sketch-like print speaks to the desensitization of the public to certain images, and the sensationalization of these graphic depictions of war and violence by the media. Applause remains ever relevant in today’s divisive and turbulent world.

The gallery is enforcing all COVID-19 related rules as mandated by the Governor of the State of New York as well as complying with all CDC guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety.  As part of this effort, Taglialatella Galleries welcomes you to experience our virtual viewing room created for this exhibition by visiting their website: www.taglialatellagalleries.com.

For more information about the exhibition, or the gallery, please contact:

Sean-Patrick M. Hillman

HILLSTORY MARKETING

[email protected] or (917) 440-4448