Urban Art Auction

If there was any doubt that in the 21st century toys = bonafide art, Christie’s recent pop culture auction — including $625 vinyl figures from Huck Gee and Joe Ledbetter –settled it. Now, Phillips de Pury & Company is following suit with an urban art auction to be held in London on September 6th and in New York on October 25th. The selection of original works includes paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, mosaics, record covers and yes, toys, by urban street artists like Bansky, Blek le Rat, DFace, Faile, Shepard Fairey, KAWS, Dave Kinsey, Adam Neate, Barry Mcgee and Swoon.

While the full catalog won’t be made available until a week before the auction, PdP and Co. did drop a teaser: New York City-based Suckadelic created DJ Stormtrooper, an exclusive 12-inch Star Wars-based figure for the sale. The iconic mashup is 1:6 scale, wears a custom track suit, mini-headphones and spins his collection of records on a double turntable stand. DJ Stormtrooper is estimated to go for between £750 – 1000. This is on the low-end as compared to works from Brooklyn collective, Faile, which have estimates of £10,000 "“ 25,000.

Finally, this one goes out to all the elitists who like to debate “What is art?” Los Angeles’ Buff Monster, who has slapped his signature style of pink monsters, ice cream and squirting breasts on many toys, will be introduced to auction (eBay not inclusive) by PdP for the very first time.