The auction will take place at Christie’s in London on June 30th as part of their 20th century sale. Dating back to 2009 and titled Subject to availability, the painting is expected to sell for between 4 and 7 million dollars.
“Banksy’s witty dialogue with the art historical canon brings the painting sharply into the current context of the global climate crisis.” States Katharine Arnold, the auctions co-head, also pointing out that Albert Bierstadt, the author of the original work, was himself preoccupied with the preservation of the environment, painting beautiful landscapes to protest against the destruction generated by the industrial revolution.
In a sad irony, the landscape shown has already been closed to the public because of severe flooding and landslides, giving further, almost prophetic, meaning to Banksy’s limited time offer comment.
For those who wish to see the painting, it is on display at Christie’s Kings’s street location in London until May 7th as part of the exhibition “Off the wall: Basquiat to Banksy”. The exhibition is visible online but also now open to the public following government health guidelines.
