(Fr)agile
1 work
Banksy Grannies (Unsigned) For Sale
Banksy
Grannies (Unsigned), 2006
Screen print Unsigned
22 x 29 7/8 in 56 x 76 cm
Edition
Edition of 500
About this work
"Banksy's Grannies" is an intriguing and humorously subversive artwork by the renowned street artist Banksy, known for his satirical and politically charged art. This particular piece diverges somewhat from his usual urban and political commentary, instead offering a whimsical and slightly irreverent take on the theme of aging and societal expectations.Created in 2006, "Grannies" is a screen print depicting two elderly women, traditionally dressed, seated comfortably in armchairs. However, contrary to the usual depictions of grandmothers engaging in stereotypically sedate activities, these women are shown knitting controversial text: one sweater reads "PUNK'S NOT DEAD," and the other "THUG FOR LIFE." This juxtaposition of the expected image of demure, elderly women with messages associated with youth rebellion and counterculture is classic Banksy – humorous, surprising, and subtly challenging societal norms.The artwork plays on the contrast between the perceived innocence and conservatism of the elderly and the rebellious, anti-establishment spirit of punk and hip-hop cultures. In doing so, Banksy is not only poking fun at stereotypes about aging but also highlighting the often-overlooked complexity and individuality of older people. The use of knitting in the artwork is particularly poignant. Knitting is traditionally seen as a passive, gentle hobby, often associated with older women. By having the grannies knit edgy statements, Banksy turns a clichéd image on its head, suggesting that rebellion and non-conformity are not exclusive to the young."Banksy's Grannies" is also notable for its aesthetic style. The monochromatic stencil technique, a hallmark of Banksy's work, lends the piece a stark, graphic quality that contrasts with the homely, comforting image of grandmothers in armchairs. This striking visual presentation, combined with the unexpected content, makes "Grannies" a memorable and thought-provoking piece.Overall, "Banksy's Grannies" is a prime example of Banksy's ability to blend humor with social commentary. The artwork challenges viewers to reconsider their assumptions about age, rebellion, and the stereotypes that society often imposes on different groups.
Price on Application
Auction History
GRANNIES · Banksy · Sotheby's · 2020-09 · $78,370
Grannies · Banksy · Bonhams · 2021-11 · $75,696
Grannies · Banksy · Bonhams · 2020-12 · $75,137
Grannies · Banksy · Sotheby's · 2020-12 · $69,300
Grannies · Banksy · Heritage Auctions · 2021-02 · $62,500
More from this series
More series by Banksy
About the Grannies Series
Banksy Grannies Prints For Sale
The Grannies series (2006) represents one of Banksy's most subversive commentaries on consumer culture and societal transgression, featuring elderly women engaged in unexpected anti-social behavior—knitting offensive phrases, spraying graffiti, and generally upending conventional expectations. Created during Banksy's explosive mid-2000s period, when his market presence was solidifying from street provocateur to blue-chip contemporary artist, this body of work exemplifies his signature technique of juxtaposing innocuous imagery with rebellious content. The series questions age-based stereotypes while simultaneously critiquing the commodification of counter-culture itself, making it particularly resonant for sophisticated collectors seeking work with multiple interpretive layers.
Technically, the Grannies series showcases Banksy's mastery of screen printing across three distinct collectible tiers. The unsigned edition offers accessibility to emerging collectors, while the signed edition carries Banksy's authentication and significantly enhanced provenance value. Most coveted are the hand-finished signed works, which feature unique spray-painted or stenciled elements applied by the artist, transforming each piece into a singular object that bridges his print practice and street art methodology. This hand-finishing technique—a hallmark of Banksy's most desirable editions—creates variation within the series that appeals to collectors prioritizing exclusivity and direct artistic intervention.
From a market perspective, the Grannies series has demonstrated consistent appreciation, benefiting from Banksy's ascension to the contemporary art canon's upper echelon. Works from 2006 represent a particularly strategic acquisition period—post-dating his earliest experiments but preceding the astronomical valuations of his later editions. The series' thematic clarity, visual impact, and technical refinement make it institutional-quality work suitable for museum collections, corporate acquisitions, and discerning private collectors. Authentication through Pest Control (Banksy's official verification body) remains essential for investment-grade examples.
For collectors building comprehensive Banksy holdings or seeking entry into the upper contemporary market, the Grannies series offers multiple acquisition pathways while maintaining the artist's characteristic irreverence and cultural commentary. Guy Hepner maintains expertise in sourcing and authenticating works from this important series.
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.