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Happy Choppers - Signed Spray Paint by Banksy 2006 - MyArtBroker

Happy Choppers
Signed Spray Paint

Banksy

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127 x 183cm, Edition of 3, Spray Paint

Medium: Spray Paint

Edition size: 3

Year: 2006

Size: H 127cm x W 183cm

Signed: Yes

Format: Signed Spray Paint

Last Auction: October 2018

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Auction Results

Auction Date
Auction House
Location
Return to Seller
Hammer Price
Buyer Paid
October 2018
Sotheby's New York
United States
£384,008
£451,774
£564,717
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The value of Banksy's Happy Choppers (signed) from 2006 is estimated to be worth between £1,050,000 and £1,580,000. This is a rare artwork and has only been sold once at auction on 4th October 2018. There have been no sales in the last 12 months or the last five years. The edition size of this work is limited to 3.

Created with Highcharts 11.4.8Oct 2018£549,641© MyArtBroker

Meaning & Analysis

Using spray paint and stencils, Banksy depicts a squadron of armed military helicopters rendered in black and grey spray paint which are flying through a vibrant blue sky. The beautiful sky with cartoon-like clouds contrasts with the negative connotations associated with these military helicopters, namely war and violence. The jarring contrast between beauty and violence is exaggerated further as Banksy adds a pink bow to the lead helicopter’s propellor. Before being made into a screen print, the design for Happy Choppers was first seen in 2002 as a mural that Banksy spray painted at the Whitecross Street Market in London.

The image of a helicopter has become a recurring visual motif that features throughout Banksy’s artworks to represent war and military intervention. The artist’s work is strongly influenced by his political ideology and values, and Banksy’s anti-war stance is often exhibited in his art, as is seen in this print and others such as Bomb Love, 2001.

  • Renowned British street artist, Banksy, is the enigmatic figure behind some of the most subversive works in the Urban Art scene. Despite his anonymity, the artists' disruptive stunts have not only gained him notoriety, but they have vocalised his stance on many social and political issues. As seen with the likes of Girl With Balloon and Napalm, Banksy uses his distinctive stencil technique to produce thought-provoking commentaries on challenging themes. The showcase of rebellion that lines his work has caused his secondary market value to soar in recent years, propelling him to the top of the Urban Art scene.