The rare painting by street artist Banksy, inspired by the recently passed away Scottish painter Jacques Vettetriano, sold for around £4.3 million ($5.5 million) on Tuesday, according to Auction House Sotheby’s.
The painting, entitled “Crude Oil (Vettriano), sometimes called “Toxic Beach,” was first revealed by Banksy in 2005, sold at Sotheby’s in London from the collection of Mark Hoppus, bassist of California skatepunk band Blink-182, who considers Banksy to be Kindred Spirit. Hoppus donated a portion of his proceeds to two Los Angeles medical charities and the California Fire Foundation, following a catastrophic wildfire in January, Sotheby’s said.
Hoppus said he was drawn to the subversion of Banksy’s work, humor, intelligence, and similarities between “skateboarding, punk rock and art.”
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“It feels like there’s the same core between street art and punk rock,” Hoppus said. “People who are often abandoned and overlooked create their own reality. …Make art. It’s the same spirit. And since I made it happen, I’ve loved art, especially street art.”
“Crude Oil (Vettriano)” is part of a series of 2005 works that Banksy put a satirical spin on his famous paintings, killing Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” and destroying the windows of Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks” diners. The artist said his purpose was to show that the real damage done to our environment is not done by graffiti writers or drunken teenagers, but by large corporations.
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The unusual Banksy is based on “The Singing Butler,” a 1992 painting by Scottish artist Jacques Vettetriano. The artist known for his work depicting elegant men and women on dreamy beaches, died in France at the age of 73, his spokesperson said Monday. The sale of Banksy’s paintings to private collectors coincided with respect for Betriano, who is self-taught by famous fans, including Hollywood actor Jack Nicholson.
In “The Singing Butler,” a couple in an evening dress dances on the beach as they embrace a slave protecting an umbrella. The Banksy version adds two figures that bring in a sinking oil liner and a barrel of toxic waste.
“We loved the painting from the moment we saw it,” said Hoppus, who bought the artwork with his wife Sky in 2011. He says, “It’s definitely Banksy, but not,” the painting hangs from family homes in London and LA.
Hoppus said he will use the proceeds from the sale to buy future works by artists. Some go to the California Fire Foundation, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Cedars Sinai Hematology Oncology Research.
Banksy, who has never confirmed his full identity, has now become one of the world’s most famous artists, starting his career spray painting building in Bristol, England. His mischievous and often satirical images include an armed riot police with a yellow smiley face, two male police officers kissing, and a chimpanzee with a sign saying, “Laughter now, one day I’ll take charge.”
Some of his works have been sold at auctions by millions. The record is £18.6 million ($25.4 million at the time) paid at Sotheby’s in October 2021 at Sotheby’s in “Love is Bin.” This is the image of a girl with a balloon that partially self-destructed three years ago thanks to the shredder hidden in the frame.
I contributed to this report.
