BEVERLY HILLS, CA.- Julien’s Auctions, the auction house to the stars, announced has announced about “BRACE YOURSELF FOR BANKSY: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART” an auction event featuring a world class collection of 73 works created by some of today’s leading and most influential artists including Banksy, Invader, KAWS, Collette Miller and David Yarrow, as well as a series of original political illustrations by legendary actor Jim Carrey and a rare, early-stage painting by beloved television personality and artist, Bob Ross. Additionally, fine art formerly owned by celebrities such as Mia Farrow, Greta Garbo, Sid Caesar, and the Duke and Dutchess of Windsor will be featured. The auction event with a VIP reception and a live concert performance by the band “Brace Yourself!” will take place live Wednesday, March 29th, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

The highlight of the evening will be the appearance of a rare large-scale (8 by 6 feet) painting on canvas by one of the art world’s most talked about figures, Banksy. The 2010 painting (photo left) featuring the Grim Reaper riding in a carnival bumper car across the hood of which is scrawled the caption… “Brace Yourself!” is estimated to sell at $600,000-$800,000.

The painting titled “Brace Yourself!” was created by the street art superstar and provocateur and given to a local British band who coincidentally shared the same name Banksy wanted to use for his about to be released 2010 directorial debut film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, which would receive an Oscar nomination for best documentary and international critical and popular acclaim that year. To avoid any copyright issues, the band agreed to Banksy’s offer to create a unique painting for the group if they were to change their name to “Brace Yourself!” The transaction of the painting made headlines which featured the group’s new name incorporated into a unique composition. The painting was exhibited in the controversial 2014 “Stealing Banksy?” exhibition and 2021’s “Art of Banksy” exhibition.

Earliest known examples of Banksy’s “Grim Reaper” motif appeared in 2003, when in his hometown of Bristol, a Reaper stencil painting was executed on the side of a ship used as an underground night club. Banksy also designed a stencil featuring the Grim Reaper with a smiley face which was used on placards carried during an anti- war protest in England. Another example of the Reaper with a smiley face was later produced as a limited-edition series of prints in 2005. The same “Harvester of Souls” imagery, featuring death in a bumper car, would be adapted into a 3D kinetic art installation which drew crowds in New York City during Banksy’s 2013 “Better Out Than In” residency. The Grim Reaper 2013 kinetic art installation, accompanied by an online audio track in which Banksy was quoted as saying that he wanted to make “…a piece of art that would last forever, about the importance of living in the moment,” was subsequently featured in Banksy’s “Dismaland” project in 2015.

To celebrate this special occasion, “Brace Yourself!” (photo right) will perform live on- stage at the Julien’s Auctions gallery in Beverly Hills prior to the sale of the Banksy painting and appear at the exhibition opening of the painting at Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus in London. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Banksy painting will benefit MusiCares®, the leading music charity.

MusiCares provides the music community with a support system of health and human services across a spectrum of needs including physical and mental health, addiction recovery, unforeseen personal emergencies and disaster relief.

Highlights of the auction include (with estimates):

David Yarrow Signed Original Limited-Edition “Compton Cowboys”, ($30,000-$50,000). A large-scale limited-edition archival pigment print signed and dated by the British photographer. The Compton Cowboys are a Los Angeles group who use equestrian activities to provide a positive influence on inner-city youth. Yarrow was inspired to shoot them after seeing the group featured on a Guinness beer commercial and conducted the shoot inside of the Warwick nightclub in Hollywood for this photo.

Jim Carrey Signed Original “Donald Trump – Halloween Cyclops” Artwork, ($1,000- $2,000). A framed original marker on paper illustration of Donald Trump as a cyclops, executed and signed by Jim Carrey. The illustration was posted by Carrey on his Twitter account in 2018 with the caption, "Some people aren't pretending to be monsters. Happy Halloween." In a 2018 article published in Vulture magazine, Carrey commented: "This is my Halloween drawing. To me, the right is a cyclops, it sees in two dimensions. What can I have, what can I get, how can I f#!k these people and get it? To me that's a very narrow field of vision to live in, so I depicted Trump as a cyclops on Halloween because there's no perception going on there... if there's enough snowflakes, it creates a blizzard and that's what we're going to do... you've got to get rid of these guys, these are criminals."

Bob Ross Original “Make a Happy Buck” Forest Painting, ($5,000-$7,000). A painting on canvas depicting a birch tree forest at night hand executed and gifted by Bob Ross to his close friend Dana Jester so that Jester could finish it and then sell it. Ross included a handwritten note telling Jester, "Dana, you can finish this one & make a happy buck - Bob." Includes a first printing of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross - Volume 26 which depicts the process of making birch tree paintings and features a finished example on the front cover. The famed painter and television personality of the long-running PBS show, “The Joy of Painting” and subject of the recent documentary film Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed, created 30,000 paintings yet his work is rarely made available for purchase.

Colette Miller Original Grammy Museum “Wings” Mural, ($3,000-$5,000). The large-scale mural by Miller, the creator of the Global Angels Wings Project, was commissioned by the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles and was displayed from October 2018 through November 2022, during which time thousands of people were photographed with the wings behind them, representing the power in all of us to fly.
The musical notes floating across the mural are from Michael Jackson's hit song, "Man in the Mirror." Colette Miller has painted wings globally in Kenya, Moscow, Australia, Europe, England, Dubai, The World Trade Center, Japan, Cuba, Juarez, Mexico, China, and more.

David Willardson Original Johnny Rockets Painting, ($500-$700). An original acrylic on canvas painting inspired by Norman Rockwell's 1950s era compositions, created for the American restaurant chain, Johnny Rockets. This is the original finished artwork from which they produced poster prints to use as decor in the various branches.
Willardson is most famous as the designer of Hollywood movie posters for films such as American Graffiti and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Additionally, eight original artworks by Willardson, consisting of original design concept illustrations as well as completed canvas paintings hung in various Johnny Rocket restaurants will also be offered.

Dave Navarro and Billy Morrison Original “Bristol Limousine”, Bumper Car Artwork, ($8,000-$10,000). A vintage carnival bumper car completely customized by musician, activist, and street artist, Dave Navarro (aka Lifeafterdeath) and visual artist and musician, Billy Morrison, with housepaint, acrylic, and aerosol, and titled "Bristol Limousine" after the hometown of famed street artist, Banksy. Signed by both artists in aerosol with their respective symbols. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this artwork will go towards benefiting MusiCares. Note: this item does not function on the mortal plane.

Invader Original “WN-25”, Vienna Mosaic Artwork ($4,000-$6,000), An original tile mosaic by Invader “WN-25” that was affixed to the side of a building at the corner of Werdertorgasse and Gonzagagasse in Vienna, Austria in 2006 and now mounted onto an acrylic panel.

The Duke and Dutchess of Windsor Owned, “Girl Old Enough To Know Better” Artwork ($4,000-$6,000). A framed gouache on gold paper artwork, previously owned by The Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The artwork depicts a humorous and politically relevant inscription which reads, Girl Old Enough To Know Better Would Like To Meet Man Not Quite That Old.

“Julien’s Auctions is proud to offer this remarkable and important collection of art created by some of the most visionary iconoclasts of our time,” said Martin Nolan, Executive Director of Julien’s Auctions. “Taken from the streets, underground galleries and private collections, these stunning works from the likes of Banksy to David Yarrow to Collette Miller are shaking the world and market with their confrontational images and messages that are stoking conversation and inspiring revolution and change to the public through the power of their art. Additionally, we are pleased to announce that a portion of Banksy’s Brace Yourself! painting will go towards MusiCares and their work aiding artists in the devastated music community.”

“We are thankful for our continued partnership with Julien’s Auctions and to be part of this once in a lifetime intersection of music and art,” says Laura Segura, Executive Director of MusiCares. “As a recipient of the portion of the sales from Brace Yourself!, MusiCares will be able to continue to provide health and human services to those within the music industry who need additional support with physical and emotional health, disaster relief, and unforeseen personal emergencies.”