Banksy's 'Subject to Availability' likely to sell for more than £3m at auction

The auction house has described the piece as a major highlight of the sale. Credit: Christies

Banksy's 'Subject to Availability' landscape is being exhibited before being sold at Christie's auction house.

The painting, which highlights the climate crisis, is expected to sell between £3million and £5million pounds.

The piece is a parody of Albert Bierstadt's Mount Rainier's panorama of the Seattle national park and volcano, which was first painted in 1890.

In the bottom right hand corner Banksy has inserted an asterisk next to the dormant volcano captioning it ‘Subject to availability for a limited period only’.

The artwork was painted between 2009 and 2010 and was first shown in the 'Banksy versus Bristol Museum' exhibition.

Other pieces in the guerrilla exhibition stunt included his defaced version of Rembrandt’s 1669 Self-Portrait at the Age of 63 (National Gallery, London), as well as the monumental Devolved Parliament (2009). 

Devolved Parliament was first shown at the Banksy Vs Bristol Museum in 2009

Christies describes 'Subject to Availability' as 'hauntingly prophetic' because in February 2020, Mount Rainier National Park was closed indefinitely due to extreme flooding and mudslides.

The 'Off the Wall: Basquiat to Banksy’ collection is on display at Christie's in London and online until 7 May 2021 before being auctioned in June.

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