You will have no doubt seen the new Bankksy mural that appeared on the Royal Courts of Justice yesteray. We posted it to our instagram, it made all the news outlets. It depicted a judge striking a protester with a gavel and was clealry inspired by the recent arrests of the Palestine Action Demonstrators.
Of course it underlines Banksy's power as a social commentator. His ability to spark conversation and interest as a contemporary Street Artist is second to none. However it also highlighted something else to me.
After it made the news a friend got in touch; "I am not necessarily a Banksy fan... but as a bystander,,, I BLOODY LOVE HIS STANCE ON THE ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE".
This friend is just starting out on their art collection journey and had not thought about buying Banksy at all before. It highlighted to me two things; you don't need to love all of an artist's work to collect them but also how Banksy is the perfect work for a new collector.
He engages with what we are thinking about now, his work is thoughtful but open, he is easy to understand in many ways. He has pervaded our minds, it feels accessible and not intimidating.
However, if Banksy is the perfect work for the new collector then so are those who came before him.
Artists such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquiat who might seem elevated and out of reach, but whose work is also the perfect starting piece for a collection and in many cases are at pricepoints cheaper than Banksy.
These artist's were doing exactly the same thing as Banksy, before Bansy and without whom Banksy wouldn't exist. Artists that yes you might now see in Museums and Public Galleries, but whose work was also trying to take art away from the elite, out of the gallery and to the homes of new collectors. Collectors like you.
