Specification
Hand Finished UV Print on MDF
70cm x 50cm
Signed and Numbered
Description
The Anonymous series features photo portraits of Banksy by Steve Lazarides, hand-stencilled by Steve to retain the artists' prized anonymity.
This portrait of Banksy was shot by myself outside Tate Britain gallery in October 2004, before Banksy hung his painting ‘Crimewatch UK has Ruined the Countryside for All of Us’ near all the Turners.
It was the first appearance of Banksy’s ‘crude oils’ style and an even more daring stunt than placing Banksus Militus Rattus in The Natural History Museum the previous April. The gallery was busy with kids at half term; so Banksy opted for his notorious ‘turps nudging tramp’ disguise, via the logic that nobody willingly approaches and engages a turps-nudger in conversation. He was rather proud of it, and perhaps more justifiably of the painting too. So we made this portrait just outside.
The photo is printed on OSB board and I’ve hand-stencilled the faces using spray paint, plus signed, numbered and branded them personally too. Each of the varied Edition of Ten comes with fittings and art twine on the back so you can hang it straight up.