A whole room of Banksys as street art fills a gallery
One of Banksy’s latest artworks will go on display in Australia for the first time, as two of the nation’s biggest street art aficionados put their collection on show.
Sandra Powell and Andrew King (together known as Sandrew) have been buying street art for the past 15 years, and the free exhibition titled The Outsiders Melbourne will feature more than 100 of their works.
But perhaps in a reflection of the ever-growing status of street art, it will be held inside – in a space above Melbourne’s Flinders Lane, on the corner of the city’s renowned street art hub, Hosier Lane.
A new Banksy titled Firewall will be the star attraction, in a whole room dedicated to the work of the superstar UK artist.
One of Banksy’s earlier artworks famously shredded itself after fetching Stg 1 million at a Sotheby’s auction in 2018, and then Stg 18.6 million ($A34 million) at the same auction house three years later.
Other pieces by international artists include works by French street artist Invader as well as Swoon, Hush, Shepard Fairey and Ron English.
Of works from the local scene, highlights include Matt Adnate’s portrait of Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns titled Echoes of a Teenage Superstar, which was a finalist in the 2023 Archibald Prize.
There’s also the winner of Australia’s inaugural Stencil Art Prize, Canberra artist E.L.K’s photo realist portrait of American writer, actor and musician Saul Williams.
As well as collecting street art, the couple advises and promotes street artists, who for the most part work outside the commercial gallery system.
They have been champions of the community and are committed to bringing street art to a wider audience, said Melbourne artist Rone.
Andrew King believes street artists remain the underdogs.
“These artists are outsiders – they flourish outside the constraints of the established art world,” he said.
The Outsiders Melbourne runs December 12 to May 25 at Level 1, 167 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.
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