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Gangsta Rat, 2004

BY

Gangsta Rat, 2004
Editions: 150 signed, 350 unsigned

‘They exist without permission. They are hated, hunted, and persecuted.
They live in quiet desperation amongst the filth.
And yet they are capable of bringing entire civilizations to their knees.’

Gangsta Rat combines spray-paint and black and white stenciling techniques. It depicts a black and white rat wearing a New York Mets baseball cap, a chain necklace, and carrying a ghetto blaster. The character portrayed is reminiscent of the New York underground style that was prevalent across the UK in the 1980s and 90s.
Gangsta Rat appears to have tagged “iPow” on the wall behind him in spray paint. The image is an ironic social commentary on the ubiquity of Apple products, whereas POW is a clear reference to Banksy’s print publisher: Pictures on Walls.

Pest Modernism

Banksy, Cut It Out, December 2004
Rats are one of Banksy’s greatest sources of inspiration and one of the most prolific subjects in his work. An anagram of ‘ART’, the rat is an allegorical tool used by Banksy to reveal the vices and flaws of the human race. The symbol of the rat is also closely associated with Banksy himself. Hunted down by the authorities, rats, like graffiti artists, tend to appear by night under the cover of darkness, and considered by much of society to be a pest (at least up to a few years ago…). By giving the figure of the rat a voice Banksy is speaking for those oppressed and defeated by the endless competition and consumerism of late capitalism.

Read Rat Business and Pest Modernism

Banksy’s appreciation for rats is often attributed to French stencil artist Blek le Rat, who is widely considered to be the father of stencil graffiti and is famous for introducing urban art to France in the 80’s, some 20 years before Banksy.

 

Gangsta Rat Peace, 2007
Spray-paint and stencil and screen-print on paper, double-sided
75.9×56.2 cm (29 7/8 x 22 1/8 inches)
Phillips New-York, 24 June 2021
USD 529,200

 

DESCRIPTION

Gangsta Rat

Year: 2004
Medium: Screen-print in colors on wove paper
Size: 50×30 cm (19 1/2 x 13 5/8 inches)
Publisher: Pictures on Walls
 

Editions

Main Edition (Red)
Signed Edition: 150
Unsigned Edition: 350

Colorway Editions
Blue, Orange, Grey: 61 signed each
Pink: 46 signed
Green: 20 signed
Mint Green: 8 signed
Artist’s Proofs Edition
61 signed AP (varying colors)
Yellow, Dark Grey, Blue: 10 signed each
Orange, Lime Green, Light Grey: 10 signed each
Red: 1 signed

Numbering and Signature

Numbered in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp, lower right


COLORWAYS

Gangsta Rat (Blue), 2004
Edition: 61 signed
Gangsta Rat (Orange), 2004
Edition: 61 signed
Gangsta Rat (Grey), 2004
Edition: 61 signed

Gangsta Rat (Pink), 2004
Edition: 46 signed

Gangsta Rat (Green), 2004
Edition: 20 signed

Gangsta Rat (Mint Green), 2004
Edition: 8 signed


AUCTION RESULTS

Updated as of 30 June 2022


1. Gangsta Rat (unsigned)

 

 


Gangsta Rat (unsigned), 2004
Numbered 171/350 in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp, lower left
Bonhams London, 27 April 2022
GBP 31,800 / USD 48,006

 

Gangsta Rat (unsigned), 2004
Numbered XXX/350 in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp, lower left
Forum Auctions, 24 April 2022
GBP 37,520 / USD 47,275

 

Gangsta Rat (unsigned), 2004
Numbered 129/350 in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp, lower right
Tate Ward Auctions, 30 March 2022
GBP 30,000 / USD 39,600

Gangsta Rat (unsigned), 2004
Numbered 255/350 in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp, lower left
Phillips New-York, 20 April 2021
GBP 43,511 / USD 60,480

Gangsta Rat (unsigned), 2004
Numbered 274/350 in pencil with the publisher’s blindstamp, lower right
Forum Auctions, 5 March 2021
GBP 80,400 / USD 110,148

2. Gangsta Rat (signed)

 

Gangsta Rat (signed), 2004
Signed and dated in pencil, lower left
Numbered /150 in pencil, lower right
Forum Auctions, 20 October 2021
GBP 83,080 / USD 115,481

Gangsta Rat (signed), 2004
Signed and dated in pencil, lower left
Numbered /150 in pencil lower right
Forum Auctions, 7 December 2020
GBP 154,100 / USD 206,494


3. Gangsta Rat (Colorways)

 

Gangsta Rat colorways appear very rarely at public auction, only 4 sold since 2007. The last one to appear at auction, Gangsta Rat (Mint Green) sold for GBP 68,750 at Sotheby’s London on 18 September 2018.

 

Gangsta Rat (Mint Green), 2004
Signed and numbered 1/8 in pencil, lower left
Sotheby’s London, 18 September 2018
GBP 68,750
Gangsta Rat (Pink), 2004
Signed and numbered 20/46 in pencil, lower left
Bonhams London, 17 April 2013
GBP 13,125 / USD 18,222

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