Banksy’s coronavirus graffiti removed from London train, authorities ask him to choose a ‘suitable location’
LONDON: Even if you are, tagging is forbidden on London’s Underground.
Transport for London, the transportation agency for the greater London area, scrubbed the acclaimed’son the subject of Covid-19 from one of its trains, erasing a visual warning on the dangers of skipping face coverings.
Banksy uploaded a a 59-second video to his Instagram andpages on Tuesday that showed him spray painting on a Circle Line train.
A post shared by(@banksy) on
Clad in a white boiler suit, mask, goggles, and an orange jacket with the words “stay safe” on the back, he climbed on the train under the guise of being a maintenance worker.
He then stenciled his trademark rats in discreet corners of a train car. One memorable image shows a sickly rat with a runny nose that sneezes and spreads a spray of droplets across a window.
Transport for London officials say the works were removed because of a strict anti-graffiti policy. But they are hoping Banksy might be persuaded to tag again.
“We’d like to offer Banksy the chance to do a new version of his message for our customers in a suitable location,” the agency said in a statement.
Porsche, Sabyasachi Ensemble, MF Husian Artwork: Everything That Went Under the Hammer For …
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Go, Going, Gone
Last month, cricketers Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers offered to auction off their signed jerseys from a 2016 IPL match to help raise funds for Covid-19 relief. But they’re not the only ones pitching in to help.
A number of brands and celebrities have come forward recently to help raise funds for Covid-19 relief through a variety of auctions. Here are a few:
Porsche With A Purpose
Funds raised: $1,000,000
Porsche auctioned its last-ever 991 generation 911 Speedster for a cool $550,000 to help raise funds for the United Way Worldwide’s COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund.
The 502-horsepower car (one of 1,948 Speedsters made to commemorate Porsche’s 70th anniversary) was part of a special package that included a heritage design chronograph, a book that highlights the completion of the last 991 and a behind-the-scenes tour of the Porsche AG Weissach development headquarters.
Porsche Cars North America Inc. (PCNA) matched the winning bid to raise the total proceeds to $1 million.
Fashion For A Cause
Funds raised: Rs. 6,15,000
Over the last few weeks, couture designers Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi, Tarun Tahiliani and Rahul Mishra came together to raise funds for the FDCI Covid-19 Support Fund which offers financial assistance to small businesses and young designers in need. From organza saris to 3-D embroidered lehengas, each designer offered one masterpiece from their collection for the ‘Fraternity Talks’ auction which raised Rs. 6,15,000 in total.
The first item to be auctioned was one of designer Manish Malhotra’s most popular sequinned saris which sold for Rs. 300,000.
A Photograph By Andy Warhol
Funds raised: $272,125
Famed artist Andy Warhol is said to have produced nearly 130,000 images, only 17 percent of which had been printed at the time of death in 1987. Auction house Christie’s recently auctioned off 60 unique photographs taken by Warhol to raise funds for emergency relief to artists throughout the US.
In collaboration with Warhol’s foundation for visual arts, the online-only sale raised a whopping $272,125, with 88% sold by lot and 142% by value. The top lots were Andy Warhol’s Self-Portrait which sold for $37,500; Flowers, which realized $16,250; Andy Warhol and Henry Geldzahler, which realized $15,000; Montauk Beach which achieved $10,000; and Archie, which sold for $9,375.
Win A Date With… An Artist of Your Choice
Funds raised: $450,000
Earlier this month, auction house Sotheby’s and Google teamed up for a virtual auction to benefit the International Rescue Committee’s work to fight COVID-19 in vulnerable communities. Among the lots offered was the chance to have coffee with Hillary Clinton, record a song with Grammy-winning artist Sting, attend a Shakespearean acting lesson conducted by actor Sir Patrick Stewart, and a private video call with Apollo 9 astronaut Russell Schweikart.
Held between May 1 and May 8, the MayDay charity auction raised $450,000 for the international rescue committee with a private recording session with Grammy award-winning musician Sting, selling for $137,500.
