Reuters

Banksy prints fail to sell

Updated 18.01 Tue Apr 01 2008

Keywords: auction, art, London, Sotheby, Banksy

Three works by the guerilla street artist Banksy have failed to sell at auction.

The prints Bomb Hugger, which depicts a girl hugging a missile, Toxic Virgin and Soup Can (Green), all expected to fetch £4,000 to £6,000, were left unsold.

The print appeared on the secretive artists' website immediately after his piece Bombing Middle England reached a £102,000 at Sotheby's in early February

But Morons, a screenprint that pokes fun at the art world, reached £5,250, about £1,000 more than its estimated value.

Sotheby's, the central London auction house where the sale was held, forms part of the subject of the print.

Napalm, based on the famous image of a Vietnamese girl fleeing a bombed village that won photographer Nick Ut a Pulitzer Prize, fetched £11,000, and CND Soldiers went for £3,750.

The print appeared on the secretive artists' website immediately after his piece Bombing Middle England reached £102,000 at Sotheby's in early February.

The record was broken on Valentine's Day when Banksy got £953,984 for Keep It Spotless at Sotheby's in New York.

The auction on Tuesday also included prints by Henri Matisse, Canaletto and Dürer.