An early Banksy work sold £445,792 at an auction in Paris

 I tried to get it but...

Banksy's Silent Majority fetches more than £445k in Paris

• 6 hours ago
 
• From the sectionBristol

The piece says: "It's better not to rely too much on silent majorities ... for silence is a fragile thing... one loud noise and it's gone."

An early Banksy work painted on the side of a festival worker's trailer has fetched £445,792 ($676,668). at an auction in Paris.

Silent Majority, painted during the 1998 Glastonbury Festival, shows soldier-like figures landing on a beach with a speaker in an inflatable raft.

Its Norfolk owners say it "depicts the ...rave and hip hop scene of the time".

The work is unusual for a Banksy piece, as it is largely freehand with little use of stencils.

Auction house Digard said it was thought to be one of the artist's oldest works.

The metal piece, painted over three days outside the festival's Dance Tent, measures 2.4m (7.8ft) by 9.9m (32ft).

Its message reads: "It's better not to rely too much on silent majorities ... for silence is a fragile thing... one loud noise and it's gone."

The elusive graffiti artist's team has provided a certificate of authenticity as part of the auction lot. It was painted in collaboration with fellow Bristol artist Inkie.

The owner, who prefers to be known by his first name, Nathan, said he organises infrastructure at festivals and lives in the trailer.

He said Banksy approached him in 1998 - before he rose to fame - to ask if he could use it as a canvas for a piece commissioned by the festival.

Nathan agreed, in return for some tickets and his expenses.

Now he says he has no definite plans for the proceeds although he may choose to build a house.

Street art specialist Mary McCarthy said the piece was "quite special" as an example of a Banksy work which did not rely heavily on stencils.

"This one really is a rare piece," she said.

It was one of more than 150 "urban art" pieces auctioned on Monday including work by artists Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Pure Evil and Conor Harrington.

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link: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-32955713?SThisFB

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En français:

Une œuvre de Banksy présentée à Paris sur un semi remorque

"Silent Majority" sera mise en vente, lundi, avec une estimation comprise
entre 400 000 et 600 000 euros, selon l'hôtel des ventes Drouot.

C'est "l'une des plus grandes et des plus anciennes pièces réalisées par Banksy". L'hôtel des ventes parisien Drouot a exposé, samedi 30 mai, une fresque signée en 1998 par le roi du street-art mondial, le Britannique Banksy, et son comparse Inkie.Silent Majority, une œuvre de près de dix mètres de long, sera mise aux enchères, lundi, avec une estimation comprise entre 400 000 et 600 000 euros, indique Drouot sur son site.

Particularité de cette pièce monumentale : elle a été réalisée à la bombe sur un camion semi-remorque, pendant une performance graffiti du festival anglais de Glastonbury. On y voit des personnages habillés en soldats avec un radeau de sauvetage équipé d'une enceinte. "Le silence est une chose fragile... Il suffit d'un son et c'est parti", y est-il écrit, en hommage aux rave parties des années 90.

Le camion a parcouru Paris lundi 

Cette œuvre de Banksy, rendu célèbre par ses peintures anonymes au pochoir dans l'espace public, a été à nouveau présentée au public en amont de la vente, au cours d'une exposition itinérante dans les rues de Paris, précise Drouot.

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