DENVER — The largest touring exhibition of authentic Banksy artworks in the world is headed to Colorado.
Opening in the spring, the exhibition will offer the rare opportunity to view authenticated and certified Banksy artworks rarely seen by the general public.
"The Art of Banksy" will feature more than 100 original Banksy works from private collectors across the globe.
The exhibition is scheduled to open at the Denver Sports Castle on Thursday, April 14, 2022. Tickets are on sale at banksyexhibit.com.
Organizers said the exhibition features many of Banksy’s most recognizable images, including “Flower Thrower,” “Rude Copper” and original variations of the infamous “Girl with Balloon,” famously shredded at auction in 2018 and sold for a record $21.8 million in London last month.
Banksy, whose identity is the art world’s most closely guarded secret, is known for his graffiti-influenced works seen on city walls, bridges and streets throughout the world.
According to organizers, "The Art of Banksy" is not authorized or curated in collaboration with the artist, but rather sourced from private collections allowing the public to see works that would otherwise stay hidden in private homes or warehouses.
"This is a one-of-a-kind exhibition," said Corey Ross, President & CEO, Starvox Exhibits, which is presenting the exhibit alongside GTP Exhibitions, the producers of The Art of Banksy Denver. "You will never again have the opportunity to see this many of Banksy’s works in one place. Once the exhibition is over, the artwork will be returned to art collectors around the world, and the chances that they will be displayed together again in the future are extremely slim."
Ticket prices start at $39.99 — $29.99 for children 16 or younger — with timed, flexible and VIP ticket options available. For more information, visit banksyexhibit.com.
“We are ecstatic to be staging The Art of Banksy in such a special piece of architecture,” said Ross. “After sitting vacant for five years, Banksy’s bold work will liven up these nearly forgotten walls.”
Earlier this year, the Denver Sports Castle building was purchased by a local partnership with plans to renovate for retail and office space. Construction is not expected to begin until 2023.
The iconic building at the corner of 10th Avenue and Broadway was built as a Chrysler showroom in 1926. In 1971, it was acquired by the local Gart Bros. Sporting Goods Co. and turned into a sporting goods superstore.
Sports Authority bought the company in 2003 and made the Sports Castle its local flagship store. The building has been mostly vacant since Sports Authority went bankrupt in 2016.
The redevelopment team is pushing to have the Sports Castle included in the National Registry of Historic Places.
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