Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus to sell rare Banksy at auction
An iconic Banksy artwork is going to auction as his Crude Oil (Vettriano) is announced by Sotheby’s. Notably, this is not just another piece by the artist but an artwork that also comes along with the added legacy of being from the personal collection of Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus.
Hoppus and his wife, Skye Everly, bought the Banksy image back in 2011. It features a couple dancing on the beach while workers haul an oil tank out of the ocean in the background. It’s one of the artist’s slickest works. Still capturing his classic social and environmental commentary, the composition of Crude Oil (Vettriano) is more glamorous and classic than his usual, juxtaposing that with the darkness of the climate crisis.
Hoppus said of the painting, “We loved this painting since the moment we saw it. Unmistakably Banksy, but different.” Since then, it has hung in his home as part of his private art collection.
He told Sotheby’s, “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.”
For any Blink-182 fan, this is no longer just a Banksy image; it’s one that has played a part in Hoppus’ history, too. However, to raise money for a range of charities, including the California Fire Foundation and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, they are selling the piece and giving part of the money earned to good causes.
Additionally, part will be spent on allowing Hoppus to continue developing his collection. “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,” he said about the decision.
The piece will be auctioned at Sotheby’s on March 4th and is expected to sell for around £3-5 million.
