Over the summer, Banksy hit the British seaside for his “Great British Spraycation” – painting a string of graffiti murals around the areas, and later, confirming the works’ authenticity in a short film. Now, according to TikTok, it seems that the elusive artist is back – this time, selling works inside a New York subway station.
Speaking in a TikTok, 26 year-old Colleen Alexander explained that she was switching trains on her way home from work when she passed an art exhibition at the 14th st and 8th ave station with pieces resembling Banksy’s work. “There were pieces of art scattered on the subway stop floor, no tarp, no plastic, nothing protecting them,” she said, noting that she had just read about New York’s recent Banksy exhibition, titled “Banksy: Genius or Vandal”.
Recognising the works, she chose to avoid filming the exhibition to protect the artist’s privacy. “I didn’t want to make light of it,” she explained. “It (had) his classic ‘Cash or bitcoin only, this is not a photo opportunity’ signs, and there was no one there – the paintings were just there.”
Later on in the night, when Alexander decided to return to purchase a painting, she noticed a man with a ski mask over his face standing by the art. “I looked around and somebody gave a slight nod, and I (saw) this guy standing, full face covered. I asked, ‘Are you selling those?’ and he just nodded, he would not speak,” she said, explaining that she purchased two pieces for $60 (£44) each.
While we may be inclined to doubt the paintings’ authenticity, this isn’t the first time Banksy has sold works on the street. In 2013, the artist sold up to £20,000 worth of art for $60 each in Central Park while working on his “Better Out Than In” exhibition – where he later confirmed the works in a short film.
A TikTok account supposedly belonging to Banksy commented, “No comment” on Alexander's post. We'll take that with a pinch of salt – he has yet to address the appearance on his official Instagram page, where the artist authenticates new artwork sightings. “Maybe I fell for an elaborate tourist trap, or maybe I made the best decision of my life,” said Alexander.
Watch the full TikTok below.
