A gallery selling an Invader street piece

[ilmambo]

am I the only one thinking this is a deprecable sale, even more since it's a gallery with quite a respectful collection of other art pieces for sale?



www.gallery618.com/artists/spaceinvader/SpaceInvaderOriginalNYCArt.php

[Cedric Mnich]

If galleries start selling street stolen pieces this will be the beginning of serious deteriorating thefts in our streets. Shame.

[masteroim]

Can't believe it.. It's the start of the end..

[seqret]

Saw it too.. shame

[jonti]

I have just "enquired about this artwork" and had a little rant at them voicing my disappointment at the gallery.
Probably unwise, but hey-ho.
Wonder if they reply?

[larsson]

We should do everything possible to stop this happening - real shame to see.

[fredflamme]

Vandals being vandalised, wicked stuff! I think we should see more of that stuff happening, there's nothing wrong...

[masteroim]

I've sent the link to Invader.. Just for know his opinion..

[brushstrokes75]

Nothing more shocking than the following....

[Johnnyroyale]

This looks like the piece that was up on ebay before xmas if im right it came off a building in nyc that was being remodelled/demolished..also asking silly price for it

[brushstrokes75]

To anyone wondering if they are trying to sell those works :

www.artnet.com/galleries/artwork_detail.asp?G=&gid=425054379&which=&ViewArtistBy=online&aid=424007326&wid=425995204&source=artist&sortby=imgorder&rta=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t%2526rct=j%2526q=keszler%2520gallery%2526source=web%2526cd=1%2526sqi=2%2526ved=0CFsQFjAA%2526url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.artnet.com%252Fgalleries%252Fhome.asp%253Fgid%253D425054379%2526ei=DTjFT7PoKoi3-wahvsH7CQ%2526usg=AFQjCNEM4PKQs4r4M-WE2Jtnf6goa87zcw

www.artnet.com/galleries/artwork_detail.asp?G=&gid=425054379&which=&ViewArtistBy=online&aid=424007326&wid=426185977&source=artist&sortby=imgorder&rta=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t%2526rct=j%2526q=keszler%2520gallery%2526source=web%2526cd=1%2526sqi=2%2526ved=0CFsQFjAA%2526url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.artnet.com%252Fgalleries%252Fhome.asp%253Fgid%253D425054379%2526ei=DTjFT7PoKoi3-wahvsH7CQ%2526usg=AFQjCNEM4PKQs4r4M-WE2Jtnf6goa87zcw

www.artnet.com/galleries/artwork_detail.asp?G=&gid=425054379&which=&ViewArtistBy=online&aid=424007326&wid=426152875&source=artist&sortby=imgorder&rta=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t%2526rct=j%2526q=keszler%2520gallery%2526source=web%2526cd=1%2526sqi=2%2526ved=0CFsQFjAA%2526url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.artnet.com%252Fgalleries%252Fhome.asp%253Fgid%253D425054379%2526ei=DTjFT7PoKoi3-wahvsH7CQ%2526usg=AFQjCNEM4PKQs4r4M-WE2Jtnf6goa87zcw

www.artnet.com/galleries/artwork_detail.asp?G=&gid=425054379&which=&ViewArtistBy=online&aid=424007326&wid=426152853&source=artist&sortby=imgorder&rta=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t%2526rct=j%2526q=keszler%2520gallery%2526source=web%2526cd=1%2526sqi=2%2526ved=0CFsQFjAA%2526url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.artnet.com%252Fgalleries%252Fhome.asp%253Fgid%253D425054379%2526ei=DTjFT7PoKoi3-wahvsH7CQ%2526usg=AFQjCNEM4PKQs4r4M-WE2Jtnf6goa87zcw

www.artnet.com/galleries/artwork_detail.asp?G=&gid=425054379&which=&ViewArtistBy=online&aid=424007326&wid=426152872&source=artist&sortby=imgorder&rta=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t%2526rct=j%2526q=keszler%2520gallery%2526source=web%2526cd=1%2526sqi=2%2526ved=0CFsQFjAA%2526url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.artnet.com%252Fgalleries%252Fhome.asp%253Fgid%253D425054379%2526ei=DTjFT7PoKoi3-wahvsH7CQ%2526usg=AFQjCNEM4PKQs4r4M-WE2Jtnf6goa87zcw

www.artnet.com/galleries/artwork_detail.asp?G=&gid=425054379&which=&ViewArtistBy=online&aid=424007326&wid=426152828&source=artist&sortby=imgorder&rta=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t%2526rct=j%2526q=keszler%2520gallery%2526source=web%2526cd=1%2526sqi=2%2526ved=0CFsQFjAA%2526url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.artnet.com%252Fgalleries%252Fhome.asp%253Fgid%253D425054379%2526ei=DTjFT7PoKoi3-wahvsH7CQ%2526usg=AFQjCNEM4PKQs4r4M-WE2Jtnf6goa87zcw

www.artnet.com/galleries/artwork_detail.asp?G=&gid=425054379&which=&ViewArtistBy=online&aid=424007326&wid=426152833&source=artist&sortby=imgorder&rta=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t%2526rct=j%2526q=keszler%2520gallery%2526source=web%2526cd=1%2526sqi=2%2526ved=0CFsQFjAA%2526url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.artnet.com%252Fgalleries%252Fhome.asp%253Fgid%253D425054379%2526ei=DTjFT7PoKoi3-wahvsH7CQ%2526usg=AFQjCNEM4PKQs4r4M-WE2Jtnf6goa87zcw

[masteroim]

May 29, 2012 21:56:16 GMT 1 brushstrokes75 said:

Nothing more shocking than the following....

Never seen before..

[plip]

May 29, 2012 22:16:57 GMT 1 masteroim said:

May 29, 2012 21:56:16 GMT 1 brushstrokes75 said:

Nothing more shocking than the following....

Never seen before..

That's messed up.

[mikeydread]

Thats Advertising?

[blobbydon]

What's the point of that video... To say look at how much trouble we went through to steal street art from other countrys?

[rubys]

imagine what shipping would have cost them

[johnnyh]

The removal of street art although I do not own or support is a natural consequence I suppose. Due to the fact that in a sense one could say they are vandalism hence ok to remove whether you paint over or take down or they could also be seen as a gift to whoevers building they are put on. So their choice really.

What's funny about Kezzler though is that they still have most of it. Not sure why any one would want a piece of huge concrete even if it does have a Banksy on it. Obviously not that many people do as they have had these for a fair while now.

Likewise the Invaders taken off the walls usually look pretty crap as well.

So though only real solution is if no one buys there is no incentive to take down but people do hence the process.

The artists sell their works (prints, canvas etc) so they have a value. It's why it's good that there is no official authentification of the pieces so it does tailor the madness as most big official galleries by that I mean City owned etc will not touch them and this puts off the big collectors for the likes of Banksy.

The invaders are a bit sad as they go to small collectors who should not really be supporting this at all. As invader is a very small player in the big art world ( no disrespect meant to him by that statement) regarding prices etc.

[pascal1539]

Just shocking!! We do need to do our best to stop that!

[jonti]

Hi have just received a reply from the gallery owner regarding my mail to him.
If any one wants it PM me

[stickitup]

Here's my worthless opinion, Invader releases his work to the streets, after that the work has a life of its own - it stays on the wall, it gets taken down by the owner of the building and chucked/kept, it gets taken down by the council and chucked, it gets taken down by a fan and kept/sold, it gets taken down by a gallery sold. If Invader has not considered these iterations he is going to be shocked by any/all of them, however I am certain he is only too aware of them. So he puts up more in an attempt to either devalue them, bore people with them, fascinate people to consider why, or simply he has a compusion to see what happens to each and every one and where it ends up. Once it is out of his hands I am sure he accepts all the above and if he didn't perhaps he would have stopped a long time ago.

[Cedric Mnich]

What is sure is that Invader does not like his pieces to be taken off walls. Problem is his gallery pieces are now very expensive and there are not many pieces of accessible art for his fans to buy : only books, maps and stickers. prints are released not very often, in a more than scarce quantity and we haven't seen any kit release for quite a while now... Increased demand and low supply => street art theft. There is a big piece in Paris close to my office which is full of tape and has been partly removed (I guess the guy was spotted and had to leave) and I fear we see more of this. Invader cannot do much against this, except refuse to authenticate street pieces and increase supply both for collectors and fans...

[balibob]

May 30, 2012 9:59:14 GMT 1 stickitup said:

Here's my worthless opinion, Invader releases his work to the streets, after that the work has a life of its own - it stays on the wall, it gets taken down by the owner of the building and chucked/kept, it gets taken down by the council and chucked, it gets taken down by a fan and kept/sold, it gets taken down by a gallery sold. If Invader has not considered these iterations he is going to be shocked by any/all of them, however I am certain he is only too aware of them. So he puts up more in an attempt to either devalue them, bore people with them, fascinate people to consider why, or simply he has a compusion to see what happens to each and every one and where it ends up. Once it is out of his hands I am sure he accepts all the above and if he didn't perhaps he would have stopped a long time ago.

Pretty much agree with the above.

It was still a bit shocking watching the Banksy vid which I hadn't seen before, but if I was the Palestinian with the Banksy on my wall and didn't have a lot, and I could get a heap of money by chopping it out and selling it on, I suspect I would do it.

[happyshopper]

What the video doesn't explain is whether they paid for the pieces to be removed, or if someone had already done it and they just took the initiative and bought them ?

[brushstrokes75]

May 30, 2012 11:48:55 GMT 1 happyshopper said:

What the video doesn't explain is whether they paid for the pieces to be removed, or if someone had already done it and they just took the initiative and bought them ?

Apparently, they were already taken down by locals from what I heard!

But I guess they own the largest collection of street pieces lol

[jonti]

Message from the gallery regarding this thread and the threats he has received.

(rants are one thing, but threats? Come on guys, really)?

Anyhoo, message below...


Hi Jon, I agree it is unfortunate that this piece was removed. I also assure you it is not something I condone. This piece was taken as a trade-in towards a Shepard Fairey piece.

The thing about this is Invader will not sell to my gallery nor even return an email. I have countless clients interested in Invader and this is as close to the original art as I can get without going through a major gallery that represents him (and I assure you those galleries ARE all about the money).

I am a 26 year old gallerist who has poured my entire life into my gallery/art. I donated over $7500 last year to two urban art projects. I have spent countless hours and weekends working with the city to promote the advance of Urban Art reform and I'm currently involved in a project that would donate over 200 billboard spaces to local street artists. If that is all about the money, the guilty as charged.

I apologize to all those that this piece has offended but please don't be so quick to pass judgement.

May I ask which forum/blog this is posted on? I am being bombarded with hate mail which is not right.

Best, Alex

Hmm not sure selling his street work is going to help the relationship any!

[Graffiti Prints]

One was removed from a building coming down in Newcastle last week, is that right? Must have been someone who knew what it was and that the potential value is 1k plus. But it would have been destroyed it was well nice as well would have love it on my wall if I'm honest. I don't think it's right to remove them for gain but it opens a can of worms when u look at how many banksy pieces sold early on that were authentic and again people in the know...
Been going on for years and will continue when street artist put pieces in the public domain that are worth money.

[swamped]

Are you all serious here? Once a piece of art goes up in public it becomes free game to anyone. This is just a fact no my own idea of how things go, I know many artist and have actually asked most of them if it bothered them to have pieces taken, can't recall anyone saying it was a problem, they expect it to happen espically if it easy to remove, most take measures to try and make it harder to remove if possible. Now the gallery selling it may be a different story, but I don't see any difference from a gallery to selling on ebay, or even this forum members selling items back and forth. I personaly wish this would never happen but it is what it is....sad to say money rules the world these days.

[nrgball]

May 30, 2012 11:48:55 GMT 1 happyshopper said:

What the video doesn't explain is whether they paid for the pieces to be removed, or if someone had already done it and they just took the initiative and bought them ?

I actually met the guy who took the pieces. He was quite a snake. He actually paid a tremendous amount of money to get those walls out of the country. They bribed the hell out of officials and spent months getting them packed and shipped. I am curious to know if any of the pieces sold. Only the bobbies kissing had a COA. All the others were taking down without permission.

[chrisby]

Hi, this is my response to the first piece of hate mail from today:
Hi, I agree it is unfortunate that this piece was removed. I also assure you it is not something I condone. This piece was taken as a trade-in towards a Shepard Fairey piece.

The thing about this is Invader will not sell to my gallery nor even return an email. I have countless clients interested in Invader and this is as close to the original art as I can get without going through a major gallery that represents him (and I assure you those galleries ARE all about the money).

I am a 26 year old gallerist who has poured my entire life into my gallery/art. I donated over $7500 last year to two urban art projects. I have spent countless hours and weekends working with the city to promote the advance of Urban Art reform and I'm currently involved in a project that would donate over 200 billboard spaces to local street artists. If that is all about the money, the guilty as charged.

I apologize to all those that this piece has offended but please don't be so quick to pass judgement.

May I ask which forum/blog this is posted on? I am being bombarded with hate mail which is not right.

Best,
Alex Jones

So so wrong, it just helps to open the floodgates.