'Kate Moss' Crude Oils Invitation Postcard

In 2005, Crude Oils opened at 100 Westbourne Grove in London and was Banksy’s second major exhibition, after Turf War in 2003. It featured 20 versions of classical oil paintings, among them Van Gogh, Hopper, Warhol, Turner and Monet. Also present were 200 live rats and some interesting sculptures. This is a postcard invitation that was handed out to advertise the exhibition around London and features his Kate Moss artwork on the front which is a clear homage to Andy Warhol's iconic Marilyn Monroe suite, both in its subject and its formal execution.

Dimensions: 6 x 4.5 inches

Medium: Offset lithograph printed postcard made for 2005 Banksy Crude Oils London exhibition. 

Provenance: Comes with gallery certificate of authenticity. 

Edition: Open Edition (Sold Out)

Year: 2005

Condition: Excellent

ARTIST BIO

Banksy (British, born c. 1974/1975) is one of the most well-known, if anonymous, street artists working today. Banksy, the pseudonym adopted by the artist, guards his privacy and the details of his life remain largely unknown to the public. He initially garnered fame for his grafitti, which combines spray paint and stenciling techniques with commercial, political, and contemporary imagery, infused with ironic social commentary and humor. His work first began appearing on walls in and around Bristol and London’s Shoreditch district during the mid-1990s, and he has since gone on to place images on the sides of corporate buildings, billboards, and the Israeli West Bank wall.

The unveiling of a new Banksy works often incorporates pranks or performance. For example, he secretly added his own pieces in museums like the Tate Modern in London or the Paris Louvre, smuggling them in under a coat and discreetly affixing them to a wall. He has also opened gallery shows to the public with specially-bred rats running around the space, and once inserted an inflatable doll dressed as a Guantanamo Bay prisoner into the Disneyland theme park in California.

In 2015, Banksy created a large-scale installation titled Dismaland Bemusement Park, and immersive and fully functional amusement park that featured political commentary on the distribution of wealth, sexism, and the UK government. The park operated from August to September of 2015, was funded by Banksy himself. In addition to his regular graffiti practice, Banksy creates works for several charities, and consistently opens exhibitions to wide audiences and critical acclaim. He lives and works in England.