Urban Art Auction Bonhams seems to have created a whole new genre of art auction after the success of their first "Urban Art" auction in London recently. It featured street, graffiti and urban art from artists like Banksy, Keith Haring, Antony Micallef, Adam Neate, Faile, Paul Insect, Space Invader, Swoon, D*Face and Jamie Hewlett.

Gareth Williams of Bonhams says "Urban art is art at its most accessible, available in the public arena for universal appreciation. However, by definition it is also an ephemeral art form, often disappearing as fast as it appears. By transposing their images from street wall to canvas, urban artists are now creating a permanent legacy without compromising the vitality of their art form and it is these works which are currently taking the market by storm."

This Banksy screen print below (which is one of 50 printed) more than tripled its pre-auction estimate and sold for £96,000.

Banksy - 'Kate Moss', 2005 (£96,000)
signed, dated and numbered '30/50' in pencil, screenprint image, 52.5 x 52.5cm (20 11/16 x 20 11/16in).


Paris Hilton's debut album that once sold for £10.95 at a HMV music store increased in value considerably after a little Banksy tampering. The artist tampered with 500 of the Paris Hilton CDs and placed them in music stores.

Banksy tampered with the images on the case and insert, depicting the Paris Hilton with a dog's head and the body of a nude mannequin, interspersed with subversive slogans including '90% of Success is just Showing up' and 'Every CD you buY puts me eVen further out Of youR league'. The music was remixed by Banksy and Danger Mouse of Gnarls Barkley and the Grey Album fame, and contains tracks with titles such as "Why Am I Famous?", What Have I Done?" and "What Am I For?".

Banksy - 'Paris Hilton', 2006 (£2,600 not including taxes and premium)
customised CD and case 12.5 x 14.5cm (4 15/16 x 5 11/16in).

Top lots from the Bonhams Urban Art auction in London

• Banksy 'Laugh Now'
  a large stencil spray paint on wood
  Fetched: £228,000
  Estimate: £150,000-200,000
• Banksy, Untitled
  Fetched: £98,400
  Estimate: £40,000-60,000
• Banksy, Kate Moss
  screenprint
  Fetched: 96,000
  Estimate: £20,000-30,000
• Nick Walker – Moona Lisa
  Fetched: £54,000
  Estimate £3,000-5,000
• Adam Neate, ‘The Apprentice’
  Fetched: £43,200
  Estimate: £25,000-30,000
• Banksy, Di-Faced Tenners
  Fetched: £21,000
  Estimate: £7,000-10,000
• Dan Baldwin, The End of Everything
  Fetched: £24,000
  Estimate: £15,000-20,000

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