Since the graffiti artist Banksy started producing works in New York, interested fans have discovered wall art everywhere from Red Hook to East New York. But given the opportunity to buy one of the artist’s original works for $60 (a considerable discount from the tens of thousands of dollars they usually command), almost nobody took it. To be fair, the artist didn’t advertise the works as his own originals when he offered them for sale at a Central Park sidewalk stall on Saturday. But he didn’t hide the fact either. According to his website, he signed each original piece of “spray art.” In total, the artist sold $420 worth of canvases.
One customer talked the stall’s oddly affectionate minder into selling her two canvases for the price of one; another, from Chicago, bought four works for his new home, where “I just need something for the walls.” He got a hug. A woman from New Zealand bought two canvases and received a kiss on the cheek to boot. And those were Banksy’s only three customers for the day.
Would-be opportunists late to the game can save themselves a trip. The artist wrote on his site: “Please note: This was a one off. The stall will not be there again today.” Back to cutting out sections of wall to score one of these things, it seems.
