British artist, dealer, and gallerist Steve Lazarides recently marked a career change with a sale. After over 20 years of working with graffiti artist Banksy, including time as his manager and agent, Lazarides intends to return to his previous career as a photographer. On Oct. 31, Julien’s Auctions offered 173 prints, stencils, and other ephemera collected by Lazarides during his work with Banksy in a sale called “Under Duress: The Banksy Archive of Steve Lazarides.” Expected to make over a million dollars, the auction made a total of about $1.4 million.
Julien's Auctions
The top lot was a proof print of Banksy’s “Girl with Balloon,” which sold for $104,000. British newspaper The Guardian reported that online bids for the print reached $60,000, its low presale estimate, before the auction began. “Girl with Balloon” is one of Banksy’s most famous prints, setting a record in 2016 with a sale price of $104,750. A “Girl with Balloon” painting famously sold at Sotheby’s in London in 2018—and was immediately run through a paper shredder in a stunt planned by Banksy, which Lazarides told The Guardian “Earns Banksy a place in art history,” calling it “one of the strongest pieces of performance art I’ve seen.”
Julien's Auctions
Provocative antics, social commentary, subversive humor, and the mystique surrounding his identity make Banksy one of the most famous artists working today—and make his art worth high value, at least if you can prove authenticity. (Lazarides provided certificates of authenticity for the items that sold at the auction.) And it’s not just the art that sells for high prices. A hand-cut stencil featuring a chimp, a favorite motif of Banksy’s, sold for $35,750. Concept sketches drawn on a manila envelope surpassed its high estimate at $52,000. A pair of limited-edition Puma sneakers worn by Banksy made for his 2003 exhibit “Turf War” sold for $32,500. Even a group of 15 burner phones Lazarides used to communicate with Banksy sold for $15,875.
But just because Lazarides is starting a new chapter in his career doesn’t mean he’s erasing the past. He told The Guardian, “I’ve kept a couple of bits that were directed at me…I don’t need 1,000 prints to prove I worked with Banksy.”
Perhaps parts of his former collection will prove to be fortunate investments for other collectors.
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