(Fr)agile
1 work
Banksy Banksquiat Grey For Sale
Banksy
Banksquiat Grey, 2019
Screen print
27 1/2 x 27 1/2 in70 x 70 cm
Edition
Edition of 300
About this work
Banksy's Banksquiat print is a visually striking and conceptually rich piece that pays homage to American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat while simultaneously offering commentary on institutional critique and the art world's mechanisms. This artwork emerged around the time of a major Basquiat exhibition at the Barbican Centre in London in 2017, which Banksy famously critiqued for celebrating street art in a corporate, sanitized environment. The Banksquiat print itself cleverly blends the distinct styles and thematic concerns of both artists. It features a figure resembling a law enforcement officer, drawn in a style that echoes Basquiat’s raw, expressive form, adorned with a riot helmet and two popping eyes that evoke Basquiat's iconic crown motif. This imagery is overlaid with Banksy's signature stencil technique, creating a layered and dynamic visual dialogue between their contrasting artistic languages. Banksy's incorporation of a police figure can be interpreted as a critique of state authority and surveillance, themes that resonate with Basquiat's frequent explorations of power dynamics and social injustice. The artwork reflects on how both artists engage with themes of oppression and identity, yet it is presented in a manner that questions how such messages are commodified by art institutions. By naming the piece Banksquiat, Banksy directly references his influence while also pointing out the paradox of institutional acceptance. Basquiat, who began his career as a graffiti artist under the name SAMO, was initially dismissed by the art establishment, only to be embraced as a neo-expressionist phenomenon later in his career. Banksy, similarly, has experienced a paradoxical relationship with the art world; despite his critical stance on its commercialism and exclusivity, his works are highly sought after and fetch high prices at auctions. Moreover, the timing and location of the Banksquiat pieces around the Barbican—Banksy also created murals nearby—underline his knack for contextual engagement, making his work not just visual art but a form of public conversation. This print, like much of Banksy's work, challenges viewers to reconsider the role and value of street art in contemporary society and the ways in which the art market co-opts rebellious art forms. In essence, Banksquiat serves as both a tribute and a critique, blending reverence for Basquiat's artistic legacy with a skeptical examination of how cultural institutions sanitize and sell radical ideas. Through this piece, Banksy continues his exploration of the intersections between art, authority, and authenticity, making a powerful statement about identity and resistance in the modern world.
Price on Application
Auction History
Banksquiat (Grey) · Banksy · Christie's · 2022-03 · $214,189
Banksquiat (Grey) · Banksy · Bonhams · 2022-06 · $122,977
Banksquiat (Grey) · Banksy · Phillips · 2023-02 · $113,400
Banksquiat (Grey) · Banksy · Phillips · 2023-05 · $107,950
Banksquiat (Grey) · Banksy · Christie's · 2022-09 · $100,041
More from this series
More series by Banksy
About the Banksquiat Series
Banksy Banksquiat Prints For Sale
The Banksquiat series represents one of Banksy's most conceptually sophisticated bodies of work, merging street art's rebellious energy with fine art's institutional gravitas. Created in 2019, this series pays homage to Jean-Michel Basquiat while simultaneously critiquing the art market's commodification of both artists' legacies. Through these works, Banksy demonstrates his evolution from guerrilla street artist to a significant force in contemporary art discourse, creating pieces that function as both tribute and commentary. The series emerged during a period of heightened market interest in both artists, positioning these works at the intersection of two of the most influential artistic movements of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Technically, the Banksquiat Grey and Banksquiat Black editions showcase Banksy's masterful command of screen printing and mixed media techniques. Each work features Banksy's signature stenciled crown motif—a direct reference to Basquiat's iconic symbol of Black excellence and kingship—combined with layers of spray paint application and gestural elements that echo Basquiat's neo-expressionist style. The contrasting colorways of grey and black create distinct atmospheric qualities: the grey edition evokes urban concrete and institutional walls, while the black edition commands presence through dramatic contrast and depth. This technical precision, combined with conceptual weight, elevates the series beyond simple homage into genuine artistic dialogue.
From a market perspective, the Banksquiat series occupies a critical position within Banksy's oeuvre and the broader contemporary art market. These works appeal to collectors seeking pieces that bridge street art authenticity with art historical significance, offering investment potential grounded in dual artist recognition. The 2019 release date positions the series within Banksy's mature period, following major institutional exhibitions and market milestones, including the 2018 "shredding" incident that catapulted his market visibility. Limited availability and the cultural resonance of both the Banksy and Basquiat legacies contribute to strong collector demand and appreciation potential.
For inquiries regarding Banksquiat Grey and Banksquiat Black, along with authentication and provenance documentation, contact Guy Hepner, a leading authority in Banksy's secondary market.
About Banksy
Banksy prints for sale at Guy Hepner include authenticated signed and unsigned editions: Girl with Balloon, Choose Your Weapon, Tesco Soup Cans, Fragile, Laugh Now, and Flower Thrower. Buy Banksy prints in New York through our gallery at 177 Tenth Avenue — all works sourced with full provenance and authentication documentation. We also buy Banksy art and offer free valuations for sellers.
Banksy is the world’s most celebrated anonymous street artist — a figure whose identity remains unknown but whose visual language is instantly recognisable across continents. Emerging from the Bristol graffiti scene in the early 1990s, Banksy developed a stencil-based technique that allowed rapid, precise execution on walls, bridges, and public surfaces from London and New York to Gaza and the West Bank. His work fuses dark humour, political provocation, and formal rigour in a way that has made him equally at home on the street and in the auction room. Today, Banksy art for sale represents one of the most dynamic and hotly contested segments of the contemporary secondary market.
Banksy Art For Sale
Banksy art for sale encompasses original spray-painted canvases, unique works on board, signed and unsigned print editions, and — on rare occasions — documented wall works sold with photographic authentication. The breadth of subjects he has addressed is remarkable: consumer capitalism (Tesco Soup Cans, Trolley Hunters), celebrity culture (Kate Moss, Andy Warhol), surveillance and control (Radar Rat, CCTV Watching), and hope and fragility (Girl with Balloon, Fragile).
The benchmark auction event in Banksy’s market history remains the October 2018 Sotheby’s London sale, when Girl with Balloon — having just sold for £1.04 million — was partially shredded by a device concealed in the frame, becoming Love is in the Bin. The reconstituted work subsequently sold in October 2021 for £18.5 million, underscoring the extraordinary commercial power of Banksy’s interventions and the appetite of the global collector base for his most iconic imagery.
Banksy Paintings For Sale
Banksy paintings for sale — unique spray-painted works on canvas or board — are the rarest and most valuable category of his output. These works, typically produced in small numbers for specific shows or commissions, carry full documentation from Pest Control and have appeared at auction with results ranging from six to eight figures. Choose Your Weapon, Monkey Parliament, and large-format stencil canvases from his early 2000s output represent the apex of private collector demand.
Provenance is paramount for Banksy paintings. Unbroken ownership history from first sale through to the present day, combined with a current Pest Control certificate, is the minimum standard for any serious acquisition. Works without this documentation carry substantial authentication risk regardless of visual appearance.
Banksy Prints: Signed vs Unsigned
Banksy print editions form the most accessible and widely traded category of his market. Published through his own distribution channels and in very limited numbers, these screenprints exist in signed and unsigned variants — a distinction that has a significant impact on value. Signed editions — with Banksy’s hand signature — command multiples of two to five times comparable unsigned editions in the same print run.
Key print series sought by collectors include: Girl with Balloon (multiple colourways), Choose Your Weapon, Kate Moss, Tesco Soup Cans, Fragile, Radar Rat, Flower Thrower, and Di-Faced Tenners. Edition sizes vary from as few as 150 to several hundred, and sell-through rates at auction confirm strong secondary demand across all major series.
Banksy Authentication: Pest Control
Pest Control is Banksy’s official authentication body and the only organisation authorised to certify works as genuine. When you buy Banksy prints or original art, a current Pest Control Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is the non-negotiable standard. The COA features a torn currency note — half retained by Pest Control, half with the work — as a security measure, and is registered against a specific edition and owner.
At Guy Hepner Gallery, every Banksy work offered for sale is accompanied by Pest Control documentation. We do not offer works without verified authentication, and our team is available to guide collectors through the acquisition process, including condition reporting, framing recommendations, and insurance valuation.
Ready to buy Banksy art? Contact Guy Hepner to explore our current inventory of authenticated Banksy prints and original works.