Banksy (b. 1974) 3D Rat, 2010 Spray paint and emulsion on board with artist's frame 15-3/4 x 11-7/8 inches (40.0 x 30.2 cm) (board) 18-7/8 x 15 inches (48.0 x 38.0 cm) (board plus artist's frame) Ed. 1/6 Signed lower right: BAnKSY Signed and numbered on the reverse: BAnKSY 1/6 PROVENANCE: Vroom & Varossieau, Zaandam, Netherlands; Tanya Baxter Contemporary, London, UK; Private collection, Bedford, New York, acquired from above. NOTE: The present work is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from Pest Control. Banksy, the enigmatic and anonymous graffiti artist, has attained a near-mythical status in both contemporary art and popular culture. His career began in the early 1990s on the streets of Bristol, England, where his signature stenciled aesthetic—sharp, satirical, and politically charged—first emerged. What began as local guerrilla graffiti soon evolved into a global phenomenon, with his works appearing in cities such as London, Los Angeles, and New York. Banksy's pieces blur the line between vandalism and high art, prompting ongoing debate about authorship, authenticity, and the institutionalization of subversive expression. Ironically, although his works frequently critique capitalism, consumerism, and the art market itself, they now appear regularly at major auctions, commanding millions and drawing crowds of collectors and tourists alike. Among Banksy's most enduring and symbolically rich motifs is the rat. Rats have appeared throughout his oeuvre as metaphors for resilience, rebellion, and the experiences of marginalized populations. Some speculate that the rat also serves as an homage to Blek Le Rat, the Parisian street artist often credited with pioneering the stencil technique that Banksy would later popularize. Alongside chimps, rats feature in some of Banksy's most recognizable and sought-after works, acting as visual shorthand for his broader critiques of power, authority, and societal norms. 3D Rat (2010)—also known as Dirty Rat or Stage Rat—is a notable example of this motif. It first appeared in 2010 on the stage door of the Egyptian Theatre in Park City, Utah, coinciding with the Sundance Film Festival premiere of Banksy's documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010). The Egyptian Theatre, a nonprofit cinema and live performance venue, offered an ideal canvas for Banksy's creative expression: public, symbolic, and deeply intertwined with cultural spectacle. During this period, Banksy left several works scattered throughout Park City. HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice