Posts by Alex Yellop

The festive season is fast approaching and with it we rewind the clock at Andipa Editions and look to the past at a series of Banksy exhibitions that helped to cement him as Britain’s most prominent street artist. Taking place yearly between 2002-2007, Santa’s Ghetto was a pop up concept store that appeared in various locations across London. Organised by Pictures on Walls, the yearly show was a group exhibition featuring artists represented by the esteemed publishers. Showcasing editions, originals and sculptures notable artists included Jamie Hewlett, Mode 2, Space Invader and, of course, Banksy.

The world’s most in-demand artist was once again back in the headlines as Banksy offered to raise millions of pounds towards the purchasing of Reading Prison, where Oscar Wilde was once held, to turn the location into an arts venue.

In today’s blog, we speak with gallery Director Acoris Andipa about his three favourite Banksy prints and why these are a must have for collectors.

As an artist, Banksy effortlessly employs many pop-culture references in his work. Recognisable to many, the artist simultaneously creates both familiar and unfamiliar motifs that straddle the boundary between the uncanny identifiable and the alien. In today’s blog, we explore the use of the acid house smiley face in three of his iconic works.  

A symbol for the acid house generation, the motif  was originally designed in the 60s as a logo for an insurance company. Hijacked briefly by American counterculture in the 70s the bright yellow face crashed back into popular consciousness with acid house in the late 80s.

What do Toronto based rapper Drake and the enfant terrible of British art, Damien Hirst, have in common? Aside from both critical and commercial success in their respective fields the pair have recently unveiled a collaboration which saw Hirst create the cover art for the rapper’s latest album Certified Lover Boy.

It is no secret that the Banksy market has been an interesting one to observe both from near and far. The popularity of the artist whose impact on both his genre, the art world and wider society continues to grow and his influence and demand for his works show no signs of abating.

Andipa are delighted to announce the launch of our new temporary website dedicated to original works by the world’s most influential and sought after artists. On the new website, Director Acoris Andipa says, “Throughout our 54 years of history in our knightsbridge townhouse we have often reinvented ourselves. We are doing so once again. To be announced in the coming months.”

The great British Summer. One of those mythical promises that seem to come true once every few years. With travel restrictions still in place as the United Kingdom slowly moves out of lockdown and to a welcome sense of normality, Brits have been urged to look towards home and take their summer breaks closer to home than usual. The world’s most popular artist too has embraced this concept with recent works appealing across East Anglian coastal towns.

Art and artists inhabit an unusual space within society and wider culture. Taking up seemingly diametric positions of challenging and questioning our world whilst simultaneously drawing from it, this hallowed position allows for ideas and concepts to flourish and grow. In the modern world with our 24 hour news and swipe left/right lifestyle the importance of challenging and commenting on what surrounds us is more important than ever. Banksy effortlessly and thoughtful picks up the mantle of what it means to be an artist with his intelligent, poignant and witty commentary on 21st century life. One such subject that recurs within his cannon is that of consumerism. Indeed, one would be hard pressed to think of the artist without his approach to the divisive subject. In today’s blog, we examine three iconic works by the elusive street artist seeking to understand the artist’s views and portrayal of consumerism and how these works fit into his wider narrative.

This week (25th of June 2021) has seen the world’s most popular artist lose two more trademarks in his iconic portfolio. Experts have suggested that Banksy will no longer be able to claim legal rights to his artwork following the latest ruling which means that he has now lost rights to a total of four of his works.

On a busy evening of 12th of May 2021 at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction convention was thrown out the window. Lot 104, numerically, may not have much significance but the work itself certainly does. Measuring 90cm x 90cm and featuring a masked man throwing a bouquet of flowers at an invisible enemy (or perhaps the auction estimate), the simple yet powerful “Love is in the Air” by British street artist Banksy smashed its estimate into pieces. Listed at between 3,000,000 - 5,000,000 GBP Love Is In The Air from the edition of 15 blew away all expectations and went for 11,000,000 GBP. Likewise, the decision to list payment in Cryptocurrency further added excitement as the old seemed to be taken over by the new.