Banksy could be forced to reveal his indentity

[Storm Fox]

According to this story in the Gaurdian, Legal row could finally force mystery artist Banksy to reveal his real name

Two art collectors have bought an alledged Banksy, and Banksy's company, Pest Control, is refusing to confirm whether it is real or not.

Katz and Howse say they have tried in vain to obtain a verdict from Pest Control either way on whether Monkey Queen is one of Banksy’s genuine prints from a limited edition of 150.

They sent the artwork to Pest Control, explaining that they had acquired it for £30,000 in 2020 from the estate of a recently deceased, established Banksy collector, but that there seemed to be no accompanying paperwork detailing its collecting history.

They are suing for breach of contract as it's taken Pest Control over 3 years and they haven't confirmed it yet. But I cannot see how this is a breach of contract with Pest Control as they didn't buy it from them,
I hope if Banksy is revealed, then he tells them to fuck off and fold the company due to the legal feesl and refuses to authenticate anything in the future.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Fuck me lawyering is easy money isn't it?

• Did this person sign a contract of any sort?
• No.
• Well let's sue them for breach of contract anyway.

 

[Silas Loom]

Fuck me lawyering is easy money isn't it?

• Did this person sign a contract of any sort?
• No.
• Well let's sue them for breach of contract anyway.

They used Pest Control’s verification service, which costs £100. So that’s a contract. But I agree the grounds look a bit shaky, particularly as the service is free if it doesn’t result in a valuation.

Anyway, Banksy is the Jack Vettriano of street art, and it’s nice to know that valuations for his piss-poor output are tumbling,

 

[Spymaster]

There is a contract. Pest Control accepted the work for authentication and haven't delivered one way or the other for 3 years. They're fucking around in attempt to push up the price of other Banksy stuff.

I hope he's revealed and the market for his artificially inflated nonsense collapses.

 

[Aladdin]

There is a contract. Pest Control accepted the work for authentication and haven't delivered one way or the other for 3 years. They're fucking around in attempt to push up the price of other Banksy stuff.

I hope he's revealed and the market for his artificially inflated nonsense collapses.

Banksy never inflated prices. He was never in this for the money.

 

[Spymaster]

Banksy never inflated prices. He was never in this for the money.

Pest Control attempt to affect the market for his work by choosing what to authenticate and what not to. This piece for example. That's an artificial market,.

 

[pbsmooth]

his real name is on his Wikipedia page

 

[Storm Fox]

There is a contract. Pest Control accepted the work for authentication and haven't delivered one way or the other for 3 years. They're fucking around in attempt to push up the price of other Banksy stuff.

I hope he's revealed and the market for his artificially inflated nonsense collapses.

The judgement will depend on how the contract is written, but if the owners paid £100 and the work wasn't done, they should get their £100 back.

 

[Aladdin]

Pest Control attempt to affect the market for his work by choosing what to authenticate and what not to. This piece for example. That's an artificial market,.

Maybe. Maybe they just can't decide on the work. Its a print and they are hard to ID. they would have to get into alalysis of paper and print and matching to a known genuine print.

 

[Silas Loom]

The judgement will depend on how the contract is written, but if the owners paid £100 and the work wasn't done, they should get their £100 back.

Professional indemnity isn’t automatically limited to the value of the original services, as you’d expect if a £100 plumber did £10,000 worth of damage, although clauses applying such limits are common - and presumably enforceable - in professional services contracts.

Whether Pest Control had the common sense to apply such a clause is moot.

 

[Gromit]

Banksy never inflated prices. He was never in this for the money.

Was is ‘past tense’.

I’m sure Wanksey has gotten very used to the money and comes up with ways to make more.

I’m told his failed shredding stunt was a deliberate failure.
The people who bought it (at the auction) was a Wanksey company and that they sold it on at a vast profit later.

An elaborate plot to milk profit.

 

[Silas Loom]

his real name is on his Wikipedia page

It was the Mail which outed Gunningham, so the Guardian will hold out against accepting that as long as it can.

 

[Spymaster]

Maybe. Maybe they just can't decide on the work. Its a print and they are hard to ID. they would have to get into alalysis of paper and print and matching to a known genuine print.

He knows what he's produced and he advertises a service which these people paid for. He's pissing about. Plain and simple. Read the comments by the art bloke in the article.

John Brandler, a leading specialist dealer in graffiti artists, said: “I believe that this is a genuine Banksy, but it has taken three years for these collectors to get nowhere with Pest Control. This is pure market manipulation, because Banksy will only certify works that he wants particular individuals to have.

“That’s not authentication. If someone discovers a Titian in an attic, nobody says: ‘Who are you and why have you got it?’ It’s a Titian or it isn’t. With Banksy, it’s: ‘Who are you and why should I tell you?’”

That's outrageous price controlling. Hope his entire crappy market collapses.

 

[Storm Fox]

Professional indemnity isn’t automatically limited to the value of the original services, as you’d expect if a £100 plumber did £10,000 worth of damage, although clauses applying such limits are common - and presumably enforceable - in professional services contracts.

Whether Pest Control had the common sense to apply such a clause is moot.

But there is no damage to the art. The art is just the same,

 

[Aladdin]

Was is ‘past tense’.

I’m sure Wanksey has gotten very used to the money and comes up with ways to make more.

I’m told his failed shredding stunt was a deliberate failure.
The people who bought it (at the auction) was a Wanksey company and that they sold it on at a vast profit later.

A elaborate plot to milk profit.

None of that is related to how long it can take to authenticate a print.

Limited edition prints have a run. Each print will be produced using high quality paper and inks. Often these are prepped just for the edition run. Especially if its someone like Banksy.
If there is no certification then the only way to really check it is to analyse the paper and the ink..like matching a fingerprint.. and check against a verified certified print. This would need lab analysis and also means that an original print would be required in order to get a sample.

I can see that taking time abd costing more than £100

 

[Silas Loom]

But there is no damage to the art. The art is just the same,

Pest Control doesn’t supply art, it supplies attribution. The attribution has allegedly been negligent and unscrupulous.

 

[Silas Loom]

None of that is related to how long it can take to authenticate a print.

Limited edition prints have a run. Each print will be produced using high quality paper and inks. Often these are prepped just for the edition run. Especially if its someone like Banksy.
If there is no certification then the only way to really check it is to analyse the paper and the ink..like matching a fingerprint.. and check against a verified certified print. This would need lab analysis and also means that an original print would be required in order to get a sample.

I can see that taking time abd costing more than £100

Then their charging model is flawed. That’s not their customers’ problem. They can account for their delay in court.

 

[Spymaster]

None of that is related to how long it can take to authenticate a print.

Limited edition prints have a run. Each print will be produced using high quality paper and inks. Often these are prepped just for the edition run. Especially if its someone like Banksy.
If there is no certification then the only way to really check it is to analyse the paper and the ink..like matching a fingerprint.. and check against a verified certified print. This would need lab analysis and also means that an original print would be required in order to get a sample.

I can see that taking time abd costing more than £100

If you're unable to provide a service at the price you quote, expect to get sued when you take someones money.

 

[Aladdin]

If you're unable to provide a service at the price you quote, expect to get sued when you take someones money.

Its £100. And its not a cheap process. They are probably wary of prints. So they'll do this right and it will take some time.

Either that...or someone has lost / destroyed the print in the process. Oops.

 

[Storm Fox]

Pest Control doesn’t supply art, it supplies attribution. The attribution has allegedly been negligent and unscrupulous.

I know Pest Control didn't supply the art, but my point is that the art is still in its original state, so there is no material damage.
Going with a trades analogy, if you paid an electrician £100 pounds to move a socket and they didn't turn up, then you are entitled to your £100 back. If they installed a socket that caused your house to burn down, then you are owned a lot more. Pest Control has failed to provide a service and didn't cause damage. If they had wrongly attributed it then I can see you could sue for damages,

 

[Silas Loom]

Either that...or someone has lost / destroyed the print in the process. Oops.

That hadn’t occurred to me, and would definitely be funny.

 

[Aladdin]

That hadn’t occurred to me, and would definitely be funny.

It can happen...

 

[Silas Loom]

I know Pest Control didn't supply the art, but my point is that the art is still in its original state, so there is no material damage.
Going with a trades analogy, if you paid an electrician £100 pounds to move a socket and they didn't turn up, then you are entitled to your £100 back. If they installed a socket that caused your house to burn down, then you are owned a lot more. Pest Control has failed to provide a service and didn't cause damage. If they had wrongly attributed it then I can see you could sue for damages,

That may well be the way this runs. But the value of the asset has been genuinely compromised, and Pest Control is implicated in that.

Presumably all the litigants really want is for PC to grant the authentication and then the claim disappears. Unless Aladdin is right, and they have spilled coffee all over the print.

 

[Spymaster]

Its £100. And its not a cheap process. They are probably wary of prints. So they'll do this right and it will take some time.

3 years to authenticate a piece by a bloke who's still alive!

The amount of money is immaterial. If £100 is not enough, that's their problem. They shouldn't advertise a service that they can't provide. The truth of course, is that they could provide it in a heartbeat if they wanted to but they're choosing not to, as they're known to do.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I’m sure Wanksey has gotten very used to the money and comes up with ways to make more.

I’m told his failed shredding stunt was a deliberate failure.
The people who bought it (at the auction) was a Wanksey company and that they sold it on at a vast profit later.

Ha ha, that's even better. Art bellends gotta art bellend.

 

[pesh]

Genius marketing

 

[JimW]

It's cunts all the way down in the art world really.

 

[Aladdin]

3 years to authenticate a piece by a bloke who's still alive!

The amount of money is immaterial. If £100 is not enough, that's their problem. They shouldn't advertise a service that they can't provide. The truth of course, is that they could provide it in a heartbeat if they wanted to but they're choosing not to, as they're known to do.

Yeah.. Banksy didnt "make" the prints himself. So he can't authenticate it. Its a print...not an original painting.

 

[SpookyFrank]

That's outrageous price controlling.

Maybe, but it's done at the expense of 'art collectors' who habitually spooge enough money to feed and clothe three families for a year on something whose only purpose is to make their equally dreadful friends momentarily envious. So I don't give a shit. In the words of the Pixies, gouge away.

 

[Spymaster]

Yeah.. Banksy didnt "make" the prints himself. So he can't authenticate it. Its a print...not an original painting.

A genuine art authenticator will be able to authenticate prints at the drop of a hat. It's their business and their bread and butter.