Category: Press

Legal row could finally force mystery artist Banksy to reveal his real name

Read the full article here:

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?’”

But Brandler observed that Banksy’s prices are “well down on what they were three years ago”. He singled out Police Car, which depicts a vehicle lifted up on bricks: “Two to three years ago, it would have fetched between £1.5m and £2m. It sold in Paris about a month ago for €300,000.”

 

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NY Post

NME

Toronto Sun

‘The Urban Frame: Mutiny in Colour’ Exhibition Picked Up by Media Outlets

Several artworks by the world-renowned artist Banksy will be displayed at venues across west Suffolk this summer.

The Sandcastle Girl, which was painted during his visit to Lowestoft in August 2021, Hula Hoop Girl and several other pieces will be on show when the Urban Frame: Mutiny in Colour exhibition visits later this year.

The contemporary art show will be available to see at Moyse’s Hall Museum in Bury St Edmunds between June 3 and October 1, and the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket on the same dates.

 

BUY TICKETS HERE!

 

Check out what they had to say:

Yahoo News

Hits Radio

Whats On? West Suffolk

Bury Free Press

Focus on Newmarket on EADT online

BBC Radio Suffolk Newmarket Interview

Suffolk News

BBC Suffolk Regional website – Banksy’s Seagull Removal & Mutiny in Colour

 

The Brentwood Buzz Podcast – John Brandler & Banksy

Tucked away on a small row of shops behind Brentwood High Street is Brandler Galleries. Its owner, fine art dealer and street art collector, John Brandler has lived in Brentwood all his life and has become known as a world expert on the art of Banksy. The Brentwood Buzz has been to meet John to find out what keeps him in Brentwood and why Banksy holds such a fascination for him.

 

LISTEN HERE

People Looking to Tangible Assets Following After Downturn

As mortgage rates rise at the fastest pace in a decade & millions of people can’t afford to pay their rent a question looms over potential risks in investment markets. Are there any safe spaces left to store value?

Following a tough 2020, there are a few good reasons why the art market is resurgent overall.

Interestingly certain investment classes are proving to be some of the best stores of value despite the economic downturn. Having had fingers proverbially burnt by terrible bank rates few are willing to leave their hard-earned cash sitting in an account depreciating at a terrifying speed.

Many opt to put their money where they can see it – in tangible assets potentially hanging on the wall or comfortably sitting in their wardrobe.

Sotheby’s has reported a 30% rise in luxury investment categories such as shoes, handbags, jewellery, wine and cars as well as art. Current figures show that 80% of bidding goes to win objects under £21,000. Sotheby’s CEO Charles Stewart commented:

“Our clients aren’t just looking for the best Van Gogh—they’re buying things across 70 different categories in the 500 sales we hold each year, at all price ranges.”.

When asked about the current buoyant art market and why it doesn’t seem to be affected by inflation in the UK and US Stewart said:

“Art is priced globally, and people bid in whatever currency they use. You may own an object and think about it in dollars, but the bidders trying to win it might be thinking in euros or Swiss francs. Inflation can accompany currency weakness, but art is valued at a globally determined price, so it can be a good hedge against inflation made worse by currency weaknesses.”.

The move to digital platforms for the major auction houses was also an essential factor in ensuring that the various auctions were live-streamed globally and bidders were able to part with cash from the comfort of their respective homes from every continent. This reduction of barriers created a conduit upon which an already burgeoning market could flourish even further. The result of this was that we saw huge Asian market bidding activity and that the market had expanded massively to include buyers at all levels, not just blue-chip trophy pieces.

Our shop is now open – should you wish to make an investment please make an appointment and we can discuss your options in person.

1 Coptfold Rd, Brentwood CM14 4BN

Whether you want to discuss your current investments or any potential opportunities, email us at: john@brandler-galleries.com

 

Brandler Galleries

Banksy: Season’s Greetings could be broken up for move

          Season’s Greetings was bought by John Brandler after it appeared in Port Talbot in 2018 and taken to a building in the town.

But an agreement to keep it there has expired, and Mr Brandler wants it taken to Ipswich next week.

Actor Michael Sheen said it followed “an old story” of items with “real value” being moved over the border.

 

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Hopes Ipswich will become new home for Banksy work

A Banksy mural could be making its way to Ipswich Waterfront in a move hailed as a “breath of fresh air” by the work’s owner. 

 

‘John Brandler, an art dealer who owns the piece, said that he had been asked to move the artwork from its current home in Port Talbot and said he was impressed by Ipswich’s desire to become the mural’s new home.

Mr Brandler said he has been working with the University of Suffolk but a university spokesman said they could not comment at this time. ‘

 

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Landlord ‘sells Lowestoft Banksy work for £2 million’

A former Lowestoft Banksy mural is believed to have been sold for up to £2 million in the UK after talks with the owner of an auction house in California fell through.

 

‘However, Darren Julien, director of Julien’s Auction House, described how talks ‘broke down’ with the sellers and, according to art dealer John Brandler, Julien’s low guide price of $200,000 to $400,000 deterred Mr and Mrs Schwartz from selling to the US market.

The piece has now been sold on privately to a buyer in the UK and according to Mr Brandler this could have sold for up to £2,000,000.’

 

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

BRANDLER LENDS ART FROM BANKSY, DAMIEN HIRST AND MORE TO UPCOMING PETERBOROUGH EXHIBITION ‘URBAN’

A major exhibition featuring pieces from world-renowned artists including Banksy and Damian Hirst will be coming to Peterborough this year. ‘Urban’ will open at Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery on December 11 and run until May. Most of the work that will be on display is owned by John Brandler of Essex-based Brandler Galleries.

 

READ MORE HERE

‘No doubt’ at least some the murals are by Banksy – but which ones?

‘John Brandler, owner of the ‘hoola hoop girl’ mural that appeared in Nottingham, said some of the pieces have all the hallmarks in terms of the artist’s genius for where and how he places his pieces – but not all.’

John Brandler spoke to Eastern Daily Press about the latest Banksy murals appearing Norfolk & Suffolk

 

Read the full article here

Banksy murals in Lowestoft protected after vandals target artworks

A council has put up plastic shielding to protect new Banksy murals from vandals after one of the artworks was defaced.

The graffiti appeared in the town earlier this month, and the elusive artist confirmed he was behind the works at the weekend. But just hours after Banksy revealed his Great British Spraycation, the rat on Lowestoft‘s North Beach sea wall was defaced by vandals who smeared white paint over it…

 

Read the full article below where they mention the Moments Exhibition in Bury St. Edmunds

READ HERE

Final countdown for modern art exhibition featuring Banksy works

Dan Clarke, heritage officer at West Suffolk Council, hanging a piece by Banksy – Credit: Sarah Lucy Brown

The arrival of several Banksy pieces was a “pinch me” moment for organisers of “one of the most culturally-significant modern art exhibitions anywhere in the UK this year”.

Final preparations are underway for the highly-anticipated Moments exhibition at Moyse’s Hall Museum in Bury St Edmunds, which runs from Sunday, May 23, until Thursday, September 30.

 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

BANKSY GOES TO BURY!

Below is an excerpt from Suffolk News, Bury Free Press about an upcoming exhibition John Brandler has had a great hand in helping make happen:

A Banksy wall painting never before exhibited in the UK will be on show at Moyse’s Hall in Bury St Edmunds early next year.

It will be part of the Moments exhibition, which will also include works by some of the the world’s best-known contemporary artists, including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, Kaws, Pure Evil, Connor Brothers and Rachel List and will run from February 14 until May 30.

But the highlight will be the inclusion of Banksy’s seven foot wall featuring Heart Boy, originally painted by the anonymous, subversive and satirical graffiti artist on Goswell Road in Islington, London, near Kings Cross Station.

The demolition of the building in 2009 led to the removal and conservation of the mural – which now measures more than seven feet tall and weighs more than 2,000kg.

Heart Boy, is a life-size image of young boy wielding a wet paintbrush, having just painted a large graffiti pink heart on a brick wall.

Some of the artworks and prints on show will be available to buy.

The exhibition is a major coup for West Suffolk Council, which runs Moyse’s Hall Museum. Cllr Jo Rayner, Cabinet member for Leisure and Culture, said: “This will be of national importance and interest with some items having never been part of a UK exhibition before. On a local level we are looking at how, subject to any restrictions, we might be able to put in workshops and other activities to engage with schools and families.”

The exhibition will be supplemented by a range of workshops, live art demonstrations, artist talks ad pop-up activities themed around the concept of ‘moments’, which will take place at various venues around the town.

A special preview, Art at Night, will take place on February 13 with renowned artist Rachel List, who gained prominence during the first lockdown with her painting NHS Angel. Rachel will be finishing a new piece of work for the exhibition, which will be kept on permanent display at Moyse’s Hall Museum.

An art trail is also planned to view installations around the town and a competition will be held to find West Suffolk’s next great artist.

Moments has been made possible thanks to John Brandler from Brandler Galleries, who said: “This exhibition will be very special to me as I want it to be inclusive involving children, youths and adults in creating art and an even more beautiful town. It will no doubt attract a lot of cultural tourism to Bury St Edmunds, but I am just as excited about the additional things happening around the exhibition, such as the free workshops with local schools and special evening events with renowned artists such as Pure Evil and the Connor Brothers.

“We’ll also be running four charity events during the exhibition, benefiting the entire local community. It is not just about showing art but also about opening people’s eyes to see what is around them.”

Admission to Moments will be £5 for adults, £3 concessions and children aged 5-16 years and £15 for a family (2+3). Moyse’s Hall is open 10am-5pm Monday-Saturday and noon-4pm on Sundays.

Timed viewing slots of one hour must be pre-booked either online at moyseshall.org, in person at The Apex or by calling The Apex on 01284 758000. Covid-19 safety measures will be followed.

BRANDLER ON BANKSY’S ‘ART BUFF’ RETURNING TO FOLKESTONE!

Folkestone has once again become the home for a world-renowned artist. Banksy’s piece, known as Art Buff, was first seen in Folkestone in 2014 and has now come back to the town alongside a community project to celebrate creativity. And councillors in the area say it’s going to be a great boost for tourism.

Check out what John Brandler had to say about it in this clip for Kent Online’s KMTV:

WATCH HERE

Brandler Galleries & Rachel List Support The NHS

I used to deal primarily in paintings from the 1970s 80s 90s because I knew a lot of the Royal  Academicians and in 2003 I came across an artist called Banksy.
I liked his work and I started dealing in Street Art with Rachel‘s work it just hit me how wonderful it was how encapsulated everything that the nation is feeling about the NHS service and We are all trying to appreciate what the NHS and other important services are doing keeping people safe getting them better and stopping other people getting infected.
I chose We love you NHS  because it spoke to me I like art that makes me feel something, and this piece does.
Sadly for me I have a very low boredom threshold so I’m having to learn a new skill it’s called relaxing.
The COVID-19 outbreak has meant that I have had to close my business entirely  partly due to age and partly due to other conditions and so my gallery is closed and although people want to buy at work they can’t .
So I have seen from clients that I talk to on the phone  / Zoom etc how this is affecting everybody’s family and I wanted to do something to contribute.
Rachel‘s work is making people smile
Rachel‘s work is making people appreciate that.  The plan is put out the word on social media to a dedicated email address and the first 500 people that send in their name & work/delivery address with NHS ID will be sent totally free (not even paying postage)   a limited edition print of this amazing image
It is the most practical way I can think of saying thank you to all individuals rather than raising money which goes into a huge NHS pot and is very impersonal
I appreciate money is needed for supplies but how much nicer to hand an individual a single red rose or a box of chocolates than to just say here’s a fiver.  This artwork is of value It will be a collector’s piece in the future and it is possible that there will be a street art museum in the United Kingdom in the near future and Rachel’s work will be featured in at the addition of 500 will not be for sale what will be for sale will be 100 signed pieces and the idea is that people buy them and give them to the local hospitals.

If you are interested, you can contact us at john@brandler-galleries.com or call at 07717 857986

 

IN THE NEWS (Click To Read):

The Sun (not yet published)
The Daily Mail (not yet published)
This Morning (30th April)

THE SECOND PRINCIPLE OF BANKSY – EXHIBITION

Brandler Galleries has donated some Banksy pieces to be shown at Palazzo Ducale in Genoa.

We have been fortunate to work with the organisers of 2 important shows of Banksy’s huge range of works that opened at the exhibition “THE SECOND PRINCIPLE OF THE ARTIST KNOWN AS BANKSY”.

The Banksy pieces are being shown in Genoa, Palazzo Ducale, on the 22nd November at 18.30 until March 2020

We will also be lending the Banksy pieces to another exhibition at the Chiostro del Bramante exhibition space in Rome from 29th February to July 2020

Email us to find out more about this: john@brandler-galleries.com

Brandler Galleries pieces at the exhibition include:

We also still have another Banksy piece ‘Peckham Rock’ currently showing at our gallery, if you’re interested in seeing it, please come and visit us at: 1 Coptfold Road, BRENTWOOD, CM14 4BN United Kingdom or see the images below:

For Keeps Podcast – Collecting the Mysterious Banksy, With John Brandler

‘Banksy, the anonymous artist and provocative prankster, has garnered headlines around the world — and captured the imagination of British art dealer John Brandler, whose 30 Banksy works include a mural that showed up on a garage in Wales.’

‘Banksy, the anonymous artist and provocative prankster, has garnered headlines around the world — and captured the imagination of British art dealer John Brandler, whose 30 Banksy works include a mural that showed up on a garage in Wales.’

Check out John on the podcast at the link below:

Click Here

 

JOHN BRANDLER DISCUSSES THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BANKSY DOVER MURAL IN KENT TONIGHT INTERVIEW

Residence and the art community are shocked as the Dover Banksy mural disappears behind sheeting and scaffolding. ​John Brandler joins Kent Tonight to discuss his theories on what might have happened and his sadness for Dover if the piece is truly lost.

You can watch the video by clicking the link below.
Banksy-experts-outrage

On Kent Tonight report. See report here.

BANKSY’S “SEASON’S GREETINGS” TRANSFER SET TO BEGIN NEXT MONTH TO ITS NEWLY ESTABLISHED HOME, THE STREET ART MUSEUM IN PORT TALBOT…

Next month a team of specialists will cautiously move the wall featuring the Banksy piece weighing about 4.5 tonnes to its new home, the Ty’r Orsaf building.

John spoke to BBC about the transfer, you can watch the video by clicking the link below:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-48042541

Brandler Galleries is now the proud owner of the Port Talbot Banksy artwork

We’re extremely pleased to announce that Brandler Galleries is now the proud owner of the famous Port Talbot Banksy artwork as featured in the news over the past few weeks. John plans to leave the artwork in Port Talbot for the foreseeable future and is hoping that it will help the local community and put Port Talbot on the art world map. John would like to thank all of those involved in making this possible.

 

Banksy artwork in Port Talbot sold for ‘six-figure sum’ – BBC

Banksy artwork found on garage in Wales sold for six-figure sum – The Guardian

Banksy Port Talbot garage mural sold to art dealer for six-figure sum – Sky News

Banksy Port Talbot artwork sold to art dealer for six-figure sum – BT 

Banksy mural in Wales ‘sells for six figure sum’ – The Independant

Banksy’s Port Talbot artwork on garage sold to expert for six-figure sum – Evening Standard

Banksy mural painted on garage wall in Port Talbot sold for six-figure sum – Mirror

Steelworker sells Banksy mural on his garage for ‘six-figure sum’ – Metro

Banksy ‘snow’ pollution mural sold for over £100,000 – Yahoo News

Banksy artwork in Port Talbot sold to buyer for six figure sum – ITV News

Banksy artwork painted on side of garage sold for six-figure sum – Irish Times

Brentwood art dealer buys Banksy artwork in Port Talbot – Yellow Advertiser

‘I bought the Port Talbot Banksy without even seeing it for real’ – WalesOnline

Banksy artwork on Port Talbot garage wall sold for six-figure sum – NME

Unexpected Banksy on garage wall sold for a six figure sum – Mixmag

Lucky Banksy owner hits jackpot after artwork painted on his Port Talbot garage sells for £100,000 – The Sun

Welsh steelworker sells Banksy mural that appeared on side of his garage for ‘six-figure sum’ – as Essex art dealer says it can stay on wall for two years – The Daily Mail

Banksy’s ‘Season’s Greetings’ Mural Discovered on a Garage Sells for Six Figures – Fortune

The Language of Art

In 2015 the Brandler Galleries sponsored the Translation Challenge and we talked to John Brandler about his perspective on the Challenge and the role of translation in the world of Art.

Why did you decide to sponsor the Translation Challenge?

“I thought the students would find it interesting to have a more unusual piece of work to tackle.  This was outside the routine translation tasks they would have needed to do to gain their degree.

“I think that part of any business’s responsibility is to stimulate the mind and encourage the youngsters coming along.  I noticed that many of the students were not of English nationality and I thought they were clever to use their natural skills to gain a degree.”

What challenge did you set and why?

“They were asked to translate the home page on our website.  I wanted the home page, at least, in several languages, so that if people landed on the website they’d feel more comfortable, being able to read it in their own language.

“We sell art all over the world and although our primary purchasers are from America, Germany and Japan and tend to be fluent in English, there are other nationalities interested in art who are less familiar with English.

“We deal with museums and collectors all over the world – and I thought having a web page in a selection of languages would gain new interest.”

Do you think translation services are important for international business?

“In England it’s unusual to find people who are fluent in other languages.  This is not the case in Europe.  Recently I visited Maastricht in Belgium and late at night lost my way to the hotel.

“There was nobody around except a road sweeper, I resorted to showing him a piece of paper with the hotel name on. ‘Oh, yes, it’s down there, second on the left then first right …’ he said.

“I was amazed that a road sweeper not only spoke English, but spoke it fluently.  When even managers in UK companies who are responsible for international trade don’t speak any other language.

“There are people who take their English-German dictionary and try to communicate by translating word by word.  But there are words that are simply not translatable in almost every language, so the translation loses the soul of what you’re trying to say.”.

So is it important for translations to be descriptive in the art world?

“Actually, most art information is factual and precise.  Of course, there are art curators who write learned documents of many pages about a white canvas, but most buyers know what they want.

“We deal with a lot of businesses as well as private buyers and they want everything from Banksy and Damien Hirst, to Gainsborough and Constable.  Prices range from £35 to just under £1M.

“While the language for art is predominantly English, I don’t believe people should be excluded if they aren’t fluent in it.”

Banksy artwork recovered

A Banksy image was recovered from a container by a local Dungeness fisherman amid concern that the landowners of where the container was located on would destroy it during the process of cleaning up the beach.

With the help of the Banksy specialist and collector John Brandler, whom the local fisherman sold the banksy piece to, he managed to remove the piece of artwork which is 8ft long and 4ft wide using specialist equipment.

The piece, which featured a bird with a petrol nozzle as a head, was made in 2004 and can be interpreted as a statement on world pollution by oil companies. It is also said to be a sequel to an earlier Banksy piece which had a similar bird perched on top of a tree – which was stolen 12 days after it was made.

The Banksy piece is currently being exhibited at the Brandler Galleries in Brentwood, Essex.

Full Guardian article here

John Brandler discusses Bansky art mural in BBC interview

Gallery director and Banksy art collector John Brandler discusses the recent art mural found on the wall of a Bristol primary school.

Gallery director and Banksy art collector John Brandler discusses the recent art mural found on the wall of a Bristol primary school. 

Talking to the BBC, John Brandler addresses the moral complications of the art work, his Banksy works currently exhibiting in his gallery and his admiration for the artist.

 

A Load Of Fuss About F**k All

I was quietly minding my own business in the gallery a few days ago when I had a knock on the door from the police. It turns out a local woman had complained about the Connor Brothers Much Ado About Nothing parody that has been in my window for a month.

A Load Of Fuss About Fuck All

The picture, called A Load Of Fuss About Fuck All, had the F-word clearly displayed. She found this offensive and as a result I have had to put a piece of paper over the word fuck.

There are 60,000 people in Brentwood. One person can object to something and by law it has to be removed. I think it is bonkers. Someone has gone by my window and complained because she found it offensive. One person can override 60,000.

So we now have a piece of paper over fuck and the police are happy with that but what a waste of police time. The policeman had to take a photograph showing that we had covered it so he could prove he had done his job. Is that what we pay the police for?

One woman, who has no sense of humour and probably does not understand the Shakespearean reference, overrides the sense of humour of 60,000 people.

Why not just come in and say ‘I found that offensive’ or phone me?

I wonder what would happen if she went to Florence and saw Michelangelo’s David in the square or virtually any national museum where Madonnas are breast-feeding babies. And what about the Manneken Pis in Brussels, the statue of a little boy peeing into a fountain? What a small world she must live in and our laws encourage her!

But the important point is, because of data protection, nobody is allowed to tell me who is she is. I publicly can be attacked but she cannot be identified.

It really was a load of fuss about fuck all!

You can see the Mirror story about the incident here and the Brentwood Gazette story here, with a picture of me looking suitably grumpy.

If you’re interested in buying the picture so you can display it without the word fuck covered up, it’s available for £7,500. Or we have prints of it at £125/£175 framed.

Contact me by email to John@Brandler-Galleries.com or call me on +44 (0) 1277 222269.

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