Banksy’s Official Valentine’s Day Mural Is Going For £120—But There’s A Catch

Banksy’s Valentine’s Day Mascara at Dreamland Margate, 2023. Photo credit Jack Masters, courtesy of Showpiece.com

Wish to own a piece of Banksy without burning a huge hole in your wallet? Well, you literally can. The good news is there’s no need to go through extreme lengths like sawing off a chunk of concrete to the chagrin of public art enthusiasts.

The catch? You’ll be sharing the artwork with as many as 26,999 co-owners.

Art collectors can now own a share of the elusive street artist’s iconic Valentine’s Day Mascara mural, valued at £6 million (US$7.65 million), for just £120 (US$153). The stirring work—which appeared on a house in Margate, Kent, on Valentine’s Day this year—is now set to become a communal treasure by way of Showpiece.com, a marketplace specializing in facilitating fractional acquisitions of coveted collectibles.

Starting August 22, the site will make 27,000 shares of the mural available across multiple releases.

Banksy’s Valentine’s Day Mascara carries a powerful message, as is often the case with his art. The mural portrays a caricature of a 1950s housewife, symbolizing domestic abuse and violence against women. In alignment with its message, Showpiece is collaborating with Refuge, a nonprofit protecting victims of domestic abuse.

Reiterating the gravity of Banksy’s art and its impact, Aaron Carter, the company’s managing director, notes: “Valentine’s Day Mascara highlights a serious subject matter. We hope that by working with our charity partner, we can continue to promote the work they accomplish and support the causes Banksy is concerned with.”

With thousands chipping in for a piece, the mural will have its temporary hosting area at the Dreamland Margate theme park solidified as its permanent home, for all to admire.

Julian Usher, CEO of Red8 Gallery representing the original owner’s interests, expresses delight that the mural will stay in Margate for everyone to see, and its fractional ownership allows wider access.

Besides partial ownership, each purchase will provide exclusive access to an array of digital and physical benefits, including limited-edition prints crafted by acclaimed printmaker King & McGaw, a long-standing collaborator of Showpiece.

[via Showpiece, cover image courtesy]