Banksy’s Lost Works

In this richly illustrated landmark book, author and journalist Will Ellsworth-Jones documents the sold, stolen and destroyed works of Banksy, one of the most renowned and controversial artists of our time.

This is a book about what you can’t see: the works that have disappeared entirely, whether destroyed by authorities or whisked into people’s private art collections to languish on walls or in collector’s vaults. These remarkable works are as elusive as their creator, but are returned here for public consumption and enjoyment.

A victim of his own success, Banksy is famous the world over and yet more famously disdainful of the spotlight, preferring to remain anonymous. Considered by many to be one of the greatest living artists in the world and to others a rogue vandal with a political agenda, Banksy has scandalised and enlightened the art world since his acts of guerrilla art began to appear on the streets of Barton Hill in Bristol over 25 years ago. His artworks can now be found on streets across the globe, adorning the walls of some of the world’s most distinguished galleries and even being sold for millions at private auctions.

Works unveiled in Banksy’s Lost Works include:

• The pieces painted on partially destroyed buildings around Kyiv, Ukraine, one of which has already been cut off the wall by a group of locals.

• Valentine’s Day Mascara in Margate that has now been restored and housed in Dreamland after several interventions by Thanet District Council.

• Banksy’s disappearing rats, an early symbol of the artist routinely painted over by councils when the name Banksy was more synonymous with ‘vandal’ than ‘artist’.

This book, showcasing the often mysterious and occasionally mundane disappearances of works by one of the art world’s more elusive figures, is a truly indispensable addition to the library of any Banksy fan. Sold, stolen or destroyed, discover Banksy’s works that have disappeared from the wall.