Rare Banksy snapped up for £65k

‘AGILE’, a hand-finished, seven colour screenprint on cardboard, will be familiar to Banksy collectors and enthusiasts; 50 limited edition prints were sold via the Legacy of War Foundation website in 2022 as part of a fundraising campaign to support civilians affected by the conflict in Ukraine. A staggering 1.3 million applications were submitted for the coveted pieces.

Importantly, this signed ‘AGILE’ screenprint was not part of the initial limited edition of 50; instead, it was produced specially as a gift to the current vendor, complete with the personal dedication, ‘Thanks Chris’ followed by a peace symbol.

The lot was accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Pest Control, Banksy's verification platform.

The artwork itself showcases Banksy's trademark creativity and ingenuity. Featuring a white mouse sliding down a freight box marked 'FRAGILE,' the rodent’s claws have scratched out the 'F' and 'R,' leaving behind the word 'AGILE’ – a nod to the resilience of the Ukrainian people. In true Banksy style, it is believed that the distinctive scratch marks were made using a pizza cutter, with each print featuring a different scratch pattern.  The serial number on the freight box is a reference to the completion date of the artwork.  

Commenting on the auction McTear’s Director, Magda Ketterer, said: "This is an important and evocative work that showcases the artist’s unique style, with his trademark ‘rodent’ image at the heart of the piece. We rarely see Banksy works of this quality come to auction in Scotland, and it is wonderful that it was sold in Glasgow, a city that is close to the artist’s heart.  There was huge interest in the lot in the auction room, on the telephone and online. We are delighted with the price achieved, which reflects the huge importance of the piece.”

‘AGILE’ featured in McTear’s The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction on Thursday 14th December.  All prices quoted above include buyer’s premium and VAT thereon.

We are proud to host Scotland's only auction dedicated to contemporary art. For complimentary auction advice, please contact us using the form to your right, or on 0141 810 2880 or auction@mctears.co.uk.