Street Tough

LONDON—On February 5, Bonhams plays host to the world’s first sale devoted to street-inspired works in mediums nearly exclusive to the genre, such as spray-paint stenciling. For sale are 100 lots by the likes of the late Keith Haring, as well as by such contemporary figures as the renegade graffiti artist Banksy and Brooklyn-based art collective Faile. Banksy’s Laugh Now, 2002—a tongue-in-cheek piece depicting a series of monkeys draped with placards that read “Laugh now, but one day we’ll be in charge”—has the highest presale estimate: £150,000 to £200,000 ($297–397,000). But fellow Brit Paul Insect is generating equal buzz, thanks to Damien Hirst’s rumored purchase of Insect’s entire show at London’s Lazarides gallery this past summer for more than $1 million. Expect to see his haunting 2007 oil painting Elvis (est. £5,000–8,000; $10–16,000).

"Street Tough" originally appeared in the February 2008 issue of Art+Auction. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Art+Auction's February 2008 Table of Contents.