Over 250 works by the famous Banksy on display in Bordeaux

François Berardino, known as “Béru”, met a street artist in London in June 2007. The two hit it off and Béru decided to follow him into his studio. He discovered the artist’s street artwork and ended up offering him two drawings. It wasn’t until a few weeks later that he realized who he had met: Banksy.

He decided to create a collection around her work. Stencils, t-shirts, record… It’s a clear testimony to the ideals of this street-art artist, whose works are engaged, political and humorous.

Until May 18, the Banksy Modeste Collection can be seen at the Cité Bleue in Bordeaux.

One of the most striking works on display at Garage Moderne in Bordeaux’s Cité Bleue is a mise-en-scène that mixes rubble, objects and stencils to denounce the war in Ukraine. Also at the center of the exhibition is an Uber Eats courier depicted on a cardboard box with the inscription “Ceci n’est pas un emploi” (“This is not a job”).

A few weeks ago, the exhibition attracted more than 30.000 visitors to Échirolles, near Grenoble.

“La Fille au Ballon sold for €21.8 million

The Bristol-born artist still retains the mystery of his identity and likes to challenge and provoke. He has made a name for himself with a series of graffiti paintings on buildings. In 2005, for example, he painted “The Flower Thrower” on a wall in Jerusalem, depicting a masked protester about to throw a bouquet of flowers. The artist also uses his graffiti to express his opposition to Brexit, support for migrants and to raise awareness of the climate emergency and other environmental issues.

The latest buzz: in 2021. The work “La Fille au Ballon” was destroyed in the middle of an auction room, just after it was sold for a record price. The artist apparently organized the self-destruction himself, creating an unprecedented event in the art world. The work eventually sold for around £18.6m (€21.8m), a record for the British artist.

Credit foto: www.banksymodestecollection.fr