Banksy is perhaps the most well-known street artist in the world, veritably a household name. This famous pseudonym is all that identifies him, choosing to remain anonymous throughout his entire career now spanning over 20 years. Banksy’s style is characterised by the use of stencils combined with spray paint and objects found in the street, often forming satirical and dark portrayals of controversial topics such as philosophy and politics.
Starting out in Bristol, throughout the 90s Banksy developed his style, eventually moving to London by the early 2000s where he began to gain notoriety. Since then, his works have consistently fetched prices at auction scores above previous estimates, owing in large part to the mystery surrounding his identity and motives.
Girl with Balloon – first appearing in 2002 as a mural on the wall of an east London shop and in London’s Southbank – is perhaps Banksy’s most widely recognised work, and certainly one of the most sought-after.
Originally created in Banksy’s unmistakable style of spray stenciled painted, the piece depicts a girl reaching for her lost balloon, taken by the wind...or did she let it go deliberately? Owing to Banksy’s notorious reticence, the intended meaning behind Girl with Balloon is unclear, igniting vivid debate centred around themes such as love, innocence, and hope.
The concept has since been reused by Banksy to back political causes, including a campaign supporting Syrian refugees in 2014. A Samsung poll in 2017 ranked Girl with Balloon as the United Kingdom’s favourite artwork.
This screen print is from an edition of 600 issued in 2004, and comes complete with a certificate of authenticity.