LOS ANGELES, CA.- Julien’s Auctions, the world’s leading street art auction house, has announced its biannual Street Art & Contemporary Art auction featuring rare and exceptional highlights from the world’s most sought after street artists including the controversial graffiti artist Banksy. The Banksy artwork collection, containing nearly a dozen works, is a featured highlight section in the upcoming Street Art & Contemporary Art Auction taking place on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at the Julien’s Auctions Los Angeles gallery which will feature over 200 lots.

Banksy is arguably one of the most controversial street artists in the world.

After 20 years of remaining completely anonymous, Banksy continues to bear huge influence on the art world, recently announcing the opening of his “Walled Off Hotel” in Bethlehem, a political stunt meant to bring tourists to the war-torn town and encourage dialogue to break down barriers. Banksy came to notoriety as a Street Artist by placing his artworks in conspicuous public spaces including buildings and vehicles. Working with all types of street art media, his works often give voice to a political or social message.

Banksy highlights include “Flying Copper” (2005), a signed, dated work on paper (Estimate: $15,000-$20,000) showing a police dressed in riot gear disarmingly depicted with a yellow smiley face for a head; Banksy’s “Black Bobby” (2003), an original black aerosol on wood panel (Estimate: $20,000-$40,000); Banksy’s “Umbrella Rat” (2003/04), an original black aerosol on metal door panel depicting Banksy’s signature motif, the rat (Estimate: $30,000-$50,000); Banksy’s “Bomb Love” (2004), a silkscreen on paper (Estimate: $5,000-$7,000); and Banksy’s “Trollies” (Color), a silkscreen on paper, signed and numbered by the artist (Estimate: $8,000-$12,000). The auction will also feature a significant collection of over 200 works by other iconic street artists along with a vast array of contemporary artists including Shepard Fairey, RETNA, Andy Warhol, Mr. Brainwash, Invader, Keith Haring, STIK, Blek Le Rat, KAWS, SWOON, Takashi Murakami, Yayoi Kusama, Tomo Matsuyama and more.

Additional highlights include “My Young Blue Blood” by RETNA, an original acrylic and enamel on wood panel (Estimate: $30,000-$50,000); Andy Warhol’s “Mick Jagger II.147 (1975), a screen print on paper signed by both Warhol and Jagger (Estimate: $30,000-$40,000); Shepard Fairey’s “Soldier Wheatpaste,” a large scale screen print on four panels (Estimate: $30,000-$40,000); Shepard Fairey’s “Change 2008,” a screen print of Fairey’s iconic Obama image signed by both Barack Obama and Shepard Fairey (Estimate: $2,000-$4,000); Ryan McCann’s “Death to Shepard Fairey” (2014), a life-size sculpture commenting on the recent overwhelming presence of Street Art in popular culture (Estimate: $8,000-$10,000); Tomo Matsuyama’s NIP (Nothing in Progress) (2004), a significant large scale original acrylic on canvas, over four panels (Estmate: $30,000-$50,000); STIK’s “Sleeping Baby” (Yellow) (2015) signed screen print (Estimate: $6,000-$8,000); and Keith Haring “Untitled” (1982 Set), a set of six artist proof prints all signed by Haring with matching AP edition numbers (Estimate: $20,000-$30,000).