A Banksy painting owned by Blink-182 star Mark Hoppus is going up for auction where it is estimated to sell for between €3.5 million and €6 million.
Named Crude Oil (Vettriano), the painting has hung in the 52-year-old bass player's homes in London and Los Angeles after he acquired it with his wife Skye Everly in 2011.
He said: "We loved this painting since the moment we saw it. Unmistakably Banksy, but different.
"We bought it because we loved it. It’s borne witness to our family over these past dozen years. It hung over the table in London where we ate breakfast and our son did his homework. It hung in our living room in Los Angeles.
"It’s seen laughter and tears and parties and arguments. Our son has grown up in front of it.
"This painting has meant so much to us and been such an amazing part of our lives, and now I’m excited for it to be out there in the world, seen by as many as possible. Go get 'em, godspeed."
Hoppus will use the proceeds from the sale to expand the family’s art collection by buying works by upcoming artists, while a portion of the funds will go to charities including the California Fire Foundation, which helps people impacted by wildfires around LA.
The musician added: "Coming back to punk rock, one aspect of the community I always hold dear is, if you get lucky enough to gain success, you bring your friends with you.
"Larger bands bring smaller bands on tour. We support one another from within.
"I want to take some of the money from the sale of this painting and use it to buy works from younger, upcoming artists.
"We were lucky enough to find Crude Oil (Vettriano) in our lives, and it’ll help us support more art and artists. I want to be a f****** Medici."
The sale will also benefit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and its Child Life Programme, and Cedars Sinai Haematology Oncology Research.
Hoppus was diagnosed with stage four diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in June 2021, but announced he was free of cancer in September that year after months of chemotherapy.
The Banksy work will headline Sotheby’s Modern And Contemporary Evening Auction on March 4 in London, and will go on display at Sotheby’s New York from February 18 to 20, before heading to London for the Sotheby’s preview exhibition from February 26 to the sale day.
The painting, which Hoppus said brought "joy and anger, and hope and scepticism", was first exhibited in Banksy’s 2005 exhibition Crude Oils: A Gallery Of Re-Mixed Masterpieces, Vandalism And Vermin.
It is a reimagining of Jack Vettriano’s The Singing Butler, which was painted in 1992, to tackle environmental issues, pollution and capitalism, according to Sotheby’s experts.
Source: Press Association
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