Banksy Sells Artwork In New York’s Central Park [Video]

Elusive street artist Banksy sold his original artwork in New York’s Central Park for a mere $60. The anarchist painter is currently exhibiting in the city.

Banksy posted a video last night of an elderly man appearing to sell knock offs of the artist’s work. However, the pieces were actually original paintings signed by the artist.

So, if you were one of three people who stopped by his market stall on Saturday (eight pieces were purchased in total), you just got very very lucky.

The paintings were advertised as “spray art” and are really worth thousands. Four were sold to a man from Chicago who was redecorating his house, while two more were sold to a tourist from New Zealand. Finally, two more were sold to a woman for her children — but only after the old man accepted a 50 percent discount.

The day’s takings were only $420, a small commission for original Banksy paintings. But the artist is no stranger to stirring things up in the art world, and that may be one of his reasons for setting up the stall to sell his work anonymously.

It’s also the latest publicity stunt for the street artist, who promised one new work per day to New York City residents, notes The Guardian. Each new painting is posted to Twitter or Instagram, where locals race to the site to take photos before they are removed. The “live” exhibition is titled “Better Out Than In: An Artist Residency on the Streets of New York.”

Banksy has already produced more than a dozen art pieces and “events” in the city, including a cattle truck full of shrieking soft toys, which was driven around NYC. Given the video Banksy posted, we’re sure New Yorkers will give street vendors a second look, especially if it looks like they’re selling Banksy knock-offs.

[Image via Jeremy Reddington / Shutterstock.com]