The biggest ever Banksy artwork, which was taken off the side of a house, is now up for sale and could rake in millions.
The famous but secret street artist painted a cheeky seagull eating from a bin full of foam chips on a house wall during his ‘Great British Spraycation’ in 2021.
This cool artwork, with its protective cover, became a big hit in Lowestoft, Norfolk. But it was taken down at night using a big crane. The piece of the wall that was taken off and tied with chains has been hidden away ever since. Now, the people who own it want to sell it and are looking for offers. They think this massive art could get them lots of money, maybe even millions.
The person selling it said: “The time has come to sell our Banksy, we want it to fly from its current home in storage for someone to appreciate and enjoy the artwork.”
The mural is split into two parts. The top bit is really big and heavy, and the bottom bit is even bigger and heavier.
John Brandler, an art dealer from Lowestoft, thought it might be worth £3million, but the people selling it think it will go for much more. They shared: “There has already been significant interest in the seagull and any sale is going to be well in excess of the valuation estimated at the time.”
The town was sad to see the Banksy bird mural go, but it had to be moved because it wouldn’t have lasted where it was. The agent explained: “The wall on the house needed to be removed anyway – there was significant damage to the chimney stack on the gable end of the property above the Bird mural and the wall needed to be removed – at some point it would have fallen down.
“There was a lot of interest in the bird, and it did cause a lot of aggravation to the owners. They needed security – which was 24/7 at one point.
“What they have actually done is preserve the piece of art as the wall was going to come down anyway.
“It is a massive, beautiful piece of art by Banksy and has been taken away safely and stored in a secure location in the UK.”
The owners paid all the costs to save and keep the artwork safe, and that’s already cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The agent added: “What people don’t realise is they had to remove the side of the house – it was not just a case of knocking it down and catching it at the bottom.
“It was a complicated and strategic process to remove it safely – and we can confidently say it is still in a very good condition.”
Banksy painted this big bird picture in August 2021 to help seaside towns hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. The agent concluded: “It is the biggest piece of art Banksy has produced.”
The size of the canvas is simply staggering – it’s a gigantic piece of art that covers the entire side of a house.
The agent continued: “This isn’t something someone will buy if they just want a piece of art. It’s for people to place somewhere or incorporate into the side of a property and then display it for whatever purposes they desire.
“We believe there will be tremendous interest in it.”
A website has now been launched for those interested in purchasing the mural.
The agent continued: “This Banksy mural is now up for private sale. We have been appointed as ‘sales agents’ to facilitate the sale. It is the largest artwork created by Banksy and was included in his ‘Spraycation Tour’ and featured on his Instagram video.
“We have set up a website to handle any enquiries from anyone interested in acquiring the Banksy mural. We are urging interested parties to contact us only through the website.”
Onlookers watched as the artwork was removed in April last year, with many locals expressing their sadness at its departure. Its removal did cause some controversy, with some arguing it should have remained for the Lowestoft community to enjoy.
At the time, Lowestoft Town Council said: “The artwork has attracted tourists and put Lowestoft on the national map.
“However, the building is privately owned so Lowestoft Town Council has no control over the building or any further information about the owner’s plans.”
East Suffolk Council added: “The removal of the Banksy seagull from a building in Lowestoft has been reported, but it’s ultimately up to the owner to decide what happens to their property.
“We acknowledge that Banksy’s works, by their nature, may not always be permanent features.
“We remain grateful for the attention that Banksy has brought to Lowestoft a town with a burgeoning arts and cultural scene that will continue to go from strength to strength.”
