Kate Moss Banksy
Banksy’s original Kate Moss was first produced in 2006 in light blue as an edition of just 50 prints. Shortly afterwards, another series of 120 was released in six more colours pink, hot pink, purple, green, apricot/gold and blue/grey), with 20 of each. Banksy also edited a very limited series of 12 artist’s proofs as well as five reproductions on canvas. All pieces are signed by the artist. In 2011, Banksy created a unique edition for Kate Moss herself, as a wedding gift on the occasion of her honeymoon, where was surprised to find the artwork in her bathroom waiting for her. The exclusive Kate Moss series is one of Banksy’s most colourful and recognisable bodies of work, with auction prices reaching as high as six figures for a single piece of work. Banksy is commonly considered to be the Andy Warhol of the 21st century in terms of his pop sensibility, his sharp social commentary and his international reputation.
The series is an undeniable homage to Warhol’s iconic Marilyn Monroe Series, both in its subject and its formal execution. In this contemporary take on the work of the American Pop Artist, Banksy combines the faces of Moss and Monroe, superimposing Monroe’s hair onto a grey-scale portrait of Moss, then staining it with vibrant colours. Warhol’s portraits of Monroe, like many of his other works, were a glorification of something or someone who has reached legendary status.
Moss has been described as one of the most recognisable faces of her time, appearing on over 300 magazine covers and featuring in Time's list of the world's 100 most influential people in 2007. She contributed to the history of fashion for 25 years, and her image became part of global popular culture.
Besides Warhol, Banksy has also paid tribute to other modern artists such as Keith Haring in Choose Your Weapons. He has also transformed famous historical photographs for his works, such as Napalm, from Nick Ut’s original photograph showing a nine year-old-girl running from the horror of a Napalm blast during the Vietnam war, and Flags, from a 1945 photograph by Joe Rosenthal which captures six U.S. Marines lifting the American Flag atop Mont Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima, in World War II.
