Banksy’s Print Sale In Aid Of Ukraine Gets Hijacked By Russian Forces
In December, street artist Banksy unveiled a series of 50 art screen prints to fund efforts by the Legacy of War Foundation, a non-profit organization helping to evacuate vulnerable Ukrainians from the war-torn country.
Each unique print, priced at £5,000 (US$6,140) each, depicts a rat sliding down a cardboard box marked “fragile.” The first two letters of the word are scratched off by the critter’s claws, while the edges have been personally sliced by Banksy to create a 3D scuff effect.
As with most of the anonymous artist’s releases, many fans were eagerly awaiting the artworks’ launch. However, just as the sale went live, the system it was hosted on was overwhelmed by suspicious entries tracing back to Russia.
“We are currently sifting through the registered entries and will notify successful applicants shortly… The site received over one million requests (and 3,500 hostile attacks from Russian IP addresses), so we would appreciate your patience at this time,” says the charity’s webpage.
According to Artnet News, the foundation has not made comments on how it will be picking the “successful applicants,” and has yet to come forward with how it discovered the “hostile attacks” were purposefully disrupting the sale.
Funds raised through the artworks are intended for purchasing new ambulances and support vehicles that will rescue elderly residents, those with disabilities, and civilian casualties. Generators, gas heaters, and solar-powered lights will also be distributed to communities stripped of electricity.
[via Artnet News and ITV, cover image via Legacy of War Foundation]
