[snakes]

Dear all,

is Banksy's time nearing an end with most of us?

It just unfortunately seems to me that most people on this forum are not lucky enough to own one (and thats unsigned as signed is not for most of us mere mortals) and it just seems that the more money you manage to save to be able to get one, the price increases at a greater rate that you can save at!

I fortunately have 2 but i think i have a cats chance in hell of getting one of the next releases due to increased public interest.

For me now i am happy now focussing on eine, mantis and a few far more affordable artists who also manage to knock out nice pictures for my walls.

Anyroad, just interested in what some of you thought...

[jboy]

snakes said:

Dear all,

is Banksy's time nearing an end with most of us?

It just unfortunately seems to me that most people on this forum are not lucky enough to own one (and thats unsigned as signed is not for most of us mere mortals) and it just seems that the more money you manage to save to be able to get one, the price increases at a greater rate that you can save at!

I fortunately have 2 but i think i have a cats chance in hell of getting one of the next releases due to increased public interest.

For me now i am happy now focussing on eine, mantis and a few far more affordable artists who also manage to knock out nice pictures for my walls.

Anyroad, just interested in what some of you thought...

I'm with you on that, i would not want the hassle, i have alot of other art on my walls and i am just as happy with that as i would be with a Banksy. Artists like AMP, D*FACE, AROFISH, HUTCH, JAMIE REID AND WRONGWROKS more than make up for it in my flat!

Jon

[dawn2006]

Yeh ish!!!! Banksy is becoming widly expensive bu the images are just so darn good!!! I'm also interested in mantis, micallef(similar problem to Banksy), Beejoir is brill. A friend of mine is desperately looking for the next Banksy. I still think you have to buy what makes you feel good, but prices hikes are seriously stopping this!

[catfelix69]

Just because you don't have the prints doesn't mean you can't like him....

I will always love you Banksy xxxxx

[snakes]

No dispute with you on that one cat, love his work but just can no longer afford the pieces (unless of course someone would like to take some very good quality high re photos and then i can print some of my own)...

[peggysue]

Will always appreciate Banksys work. But definitely moving on to the likes of Mantis. A very inspired artist that you can still get your hands on his work for a reasonable price.

[ABC]

Luckily Ive been into Mr B for a while and have a few, the shame now for me is that I will more than likely never get the chance of another from POW unless the lord is on my side on release day. Even ebay is getting harder to get a print due to the Galleries snapping everything up.

[snakes]

Yep life definitely sucks, especially when you do a job whereby you are not glued to a computer and have access to POW during work hours!

Still must not grumble too much because like you ABC, at least i got a couple although i would quite happily fave a few aswell!

Good luck to you all on the next release...

[ctc2]

Just be pleased that you have good taste. It is a rich mans game from here on out.

[scavos]

abcollings said:

Luckily Ive been into Mr B for a while and have a few, the shame now for me is that I will more than likely never get the chance of another from POW unless the lord is on my side on release day. Even ebay is getting harder to get a print due to the Galleries snapping everything up.

Do you know? That has honestly woken me up to what's actually going on with this ridiculous hike in prices. I've been ignorant of the likelihood that the galleries would be snapping up as many of the Banksy's and Micallefs as they can. I feel a bit daft for not realising that is probably exactly what is happening.

Again, excuse my ignorance here but what actually justifies these galleries extortionate prices? Is it the confidence of knowing the print is genuine and of the condition reported? If so, is it really worth the extra £££thousands they add? Maybe it is; I really don't know.

If that is the case I wonder how long the market can sustain such a rate of inflation? I won't pretend it keeps me awake at night but it really does interest me. I suppose when we consider the Hirsts, Emins and Koons of this world the sky is the limit. Then of course there's the so called Grand Masters where the no limits are known, bringing us back full circle to Banksy's sentiment within the Morons print.

I can't claim to have been into the art collecting scene for long or even buying Banksy's work when I admired it's strength back in the Blur cover art days. Hindsight is a wonderful thing! I simply couldn't afford it then let alone now. My priorities were a roof over my head and a record collection even if it meant beans on toast more often than not. But now I'm in a position where I can occasionally consider buying great art at £30 - £350 a pop, I feel frustrated because Banksy yet again remains out of my league. I'm aware of the fact that it's elusiveness certainly adds to my will to own it but the truth remains that Banksy's work is quality art that actually means something to me.

I remain an eternal optimist and am hopeful to be one of the lucky ones who scoops one of the next few releases. Until that moment I remain a happy virgin. In the meantime I'll enjoy other more affordable strong work that has a similar effect on me for many different reasons by the likes of Arofish, Beejoir, Mantis, Static, Eelus, Eine, Blu and Insect. I'm not making direct comparisons between these artists and Banksy; simply saying what I also like to look at. That said, I also don't feel the necessity to put Banksy on such an 'out of reach' pedestal like the deity he so frequently mocks. Somehow, I don't think he would want me to either.

The galleries appear to be feeding and driving the apparent frenzy at present. Maybe it's self-perpetuating? I only hope in our search for the 'next big thing' we don't crush someone's talent (like Beejoir as a particulaly current artist in mind), before they even got out of the starting blocks. I genuinely hope such artists will contuinue to live up to the expectations of the baying masses. Personally, I might find this rather crippling. Then again, I'm a half-arsed fuck-wit (that won't get through the censor) and not a talented artist which Mr B most certainly is! ;D

I think Verbal's separate thread analogy (will that word get through?) of the Britpop scene is helpful in some respects. Whilst during that era I loved Oasis AND Blur I also enjoyed listening to and collecting music by the Charlatans, The Frank & Walters, Thousand Yard Stare and Flowered Up to name but a very few. And whilst their whole body of work didn't match the consistency of the big hitters some of their songs remain classics IMO. 'Weekender' anyone? ;D ;D

[tadghostal]

ctc2 said:

Just be pleased that you have good taste. It is a rich mans game from here on out.

They say you can't buy good taste, but what does good taste buy you? Rather than bringing solace, I'd suggest that good taste coupled with insufficient means to act brings a form of sadness.