Banksy’s Bulletproof Vest Auctioned Off At Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s London, 30 September 2024: Banksy’s Bulletproof Vest will make its debut at Sotheby’s Contemporary Evening Auction during Frieze Week, with an estimate of £200,000-£300,000.
This is the first of five unique Vests to appear on the secondary market and will be on display at Sotheby’s New Bond Street Galleries from 3-9 October.
“Who knew gents tailoring could be this fun? A vest that stops bullets up to 45 caliber. But it’s not machine washable.” -Banksy
The Vest is part of Banksy’s Gross Domestic Product collection, first showcased in Croydon in 2019 to critique the commercialization of his art. These Vests reinterpret the traditional British waistcoat, symbolizing modern urban life.
By repurposing a police garment designed to stop bullets, Banksy added a Union Jack with a rusty red hue, evoking dried blood and linking patriotism with violence and knife crime in the UK.
The work questions the idea that being “British” ensures safety and equality, highlighting issues of racism and exclusion.
“Last night I headlined Glastonbury in a stab-proof vest made by the one and only Banksy.” – Stormzy
Stormzy wore a Vest from the series at Glastonbury in 2019, becoming the first British Grime artist to headline the Pyramid Stage. His performance, like Banksy’s art, spotlighted inequality and knife crime, projecting the words “knife crime” and a speech by MP David Lammy.
The Vest Stormzy wore was later donated to the Design Museum after being nominated for the Beazley Design of the Year award in 2020. Another Vest from the series featured in Banksy’s 2023 Cut and Run exhibition in Glasgow.
“Stormzy’s Glastonbury performance immortalized this Vest, and Banksy’s ability to distill complex social issues into a single object is unmatched. The Vest is even more relevant today.” – Emma Baker, Head of Contemporary Evening Sale, Sotheby’s
The sale follows Banksy’s famous Girl with Balloon intervention in 2018, which transformed into Love is in the Bin after shredding at auction. It sold for £18.6 million in 2021, setting a new record.
