Well, sort of
A collectables marketplace, Showpiece, has announced that they’ve recently added Banksy’s Valentine’s Day Mascara to their portfolio – and it’s about to go on sale. But, instead of selling the piece off to an individual owner, Showpiece is offering fractional ownership to 27,000 people at 120 quid a pop. As well as owning a ‘share’ of the artwork, each buyer will be granted access to a ‘range of digital and physical benefits’, one of which being an exclusive print created by King & McGaw.
On Valentine’s Day this year, Banksy’s Margate mural appeared on the wall of a house. It depicted an injured 1950s housewife throwing her male partner into a (real) fridge and was received as a statement against domestic abuse, which has been on a distressing rise since the start of the pandemic. The work, which was removed from the building and kept in local theme park Dreamland for preservation, is now worth an estimated £6 million.
Julian Usher, CEO of Margate’s Red8 Gallery, is representing the interests of the mural’s original owner and has said that they have fought off significant offers from international collectors and are resolute that the Valentine’s Day Mascara should be kept in Margate. Together with Showpiece, they’ve organised this fractionalisation to ensure Dreamland can become the piece’s permanent home.
Given that the unveiling of the Banksy in Margate led to many conversations about domestic violence, Showpiece is working with Refuge, a charity that supports abuse survivors. Buyers will have the option to give a donation to the organisation at checkout.
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Available from Tues 22nd August 2023
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