Banksy has opened an online store, giving people the chance to apply to buy his artwork – including the Union Jack stab vest worn by Stormzy at Glastonbury this year.
The website replaces his pop-up store in Croydon, south London, which the elusive artist said was “for display purposes only”.
Gross Domestic Product allows art fans to register to buy some of Banksy’s most famous works.
The Stormzy stab-proof vest is currently listed at £850. The rapper was the first black British solo artist to headline the famous music festival.
After the vest was revealed to be a Banksy original, Joey Syer, co-founder of MyArtBroker.com, estimated its value to be “somewhere north of £200,000”.
The listing says: “A version of the ‘John Bull’ English gents’ waistcoat updated for modern times. This customised body armour is capable of stopping bullets up to .45 calibre and is fully stab-proof, yet not machine-washable.
“As worn by Stormzy at Glastonbury Festival (because it’s very dangerous there).”
To be in with a chance of purchasing the art, fans are required to answer the question “Why does art matter?” in less than 50 words.
Sales are not allocated on a first come, first served basis, but selected at random once vetted through the customer question.
Responses will be judged by comedian Adam Bloom who urged customers to make their answer as “amusing, informative or enlightening as possible”.
Hoping this measure will help restrict sales to genuine art fans, Banksy said: “We can’t ever weed out all the people who just want to flip for profit, but we can weed out the unfunny ones.”
Successful applicants will be notified by email within two weeks of submission, and sent a link to a private checkout to complete their online purchase. Incomplete transactions will be offered to other shoppers.
Also on sale is a Banksy clutch bag made from a brick, available for £750. It is described as “perfect for the kind of person who doesn’t carry much but might need to whack someone in the face”.
Many of the products advertised featured at the recent art installation in Croydon, which is now closed – although it never officially opened.
The site boasts an array of “art, homewares and disappointment”, with the artist claiming to have “price-fixed the first releases for lower income patrons”.
A notification on the website says: “Wealthy art collectors are requested to refrain from shopping at the current time.”
More affordable items include a £30 shredded T-shirt and a £10 mug.
Signed original prints start from £500.
Banksy said: “This is not a proper shop – I mean it is an actual shop, it sells stuff and offers refunds and complies with data protection – but all the products are made in an art studio, not a factory.
“We use recycled materials wherever possible and there’s an ingrained culture of daytime drinking, so supply is limited and it might take a while getting to you. Shopping with us is likely to be a disappointing retail experience — especially if you’re successful in making a purchase.”
