Banksy Opens his Own Homewares Store “Gross Domestic Product ™” in Croydon, London 2019

Banksy, the renowned anonymous street artist, has made a bold move by opening his very first homewares store titled “Gross Domestic Product ™”, located in the bustling town of Croydon, London.

“Gross Domestic Product ™” is a haven for art lovers and enthusiasts alike, boasting an impressive selection of one-of-a-kind items that will surely be the talk of the town. Upon walking past the store’s display window, one is immediately struck by the variety of intriguing objects on show, ranging from thought-provoking artworks to quirky home decor items.

Gross Domestic Product is the first and only store from Banksy in response to legal action taken against him by a greeting card company attempting to take legal custody of the name “Banksy” from the artist. To prevent this from happening, Banksy was advised to sell his own branded merchandise. Hence, the store “Gross Domestic Product” was born! The store offers a range of homewares and lifestyle products, including mugs, doormats, rugs, and other items, all adorned with Banksy’s signature subversive and irreverent style.

“So he here is – we hope to offer something for everyone, prices start from £10 but availability will be limited – all of these products are hand made in the UK using existing or recycled materials from wherever possible. Including the ideas. Thank you for your custom” Gross Domestic Product

Gross Domestic Product also offers some unique and thought-provoking items that can make great conversation pieces. One such item is the ‘diabetes-riddled corpse of Tony the Tiger’ rug, which features the advertising cartoon mascot for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes breakfast cereal, appearing on its packaging and advertising. Banksy believes that this rug will make a strong statement about the unhealthy nature of sugary cereals and the impact they have on children’s health. In fact, he points out that £7.8 million a year is spent on under 5’s teeth extractions in the UK.

Through Gross Domestic Product, Banksy has also created a selection of T-shirts that are available for purchase, including the ‘Girl with Balloon’ tee and the infamous shredded version. The shredded tee is particularly noteworthy, as it also serves as a commentary on fast fashion and the disposable nature of clothing in modern society. Banksy intends to encourage people to think more critically about their consumption habits and the impact that these habits have on the environment.

Shredded Tee – The same played-out old image, this time attacked with a knife by the artist. On-trend consumers might be aware that Vogue magazine calls ‘fringing’ a hot trend this season. Shame we don’t ship until Christmas.

GDP

Banksy addresses significant social issues that affect our world today through his art. Some examples in the store include forced human migration and the displacement that comes with it, animal welfare and the ethical treatment of all living creatures, the impact of fast fashion on the environment and the people who make these clothes, the climate crisis and the urgent need for action to mitigate its effects, and the possibility of living in a state under constant surveillance.

The Croydon showroom will display all merchandise for a limited time of two weeks, and the store will not be open for walk-ins during this time. Instead, all sales will be conducted through their brand-new website, which will open soon.

If you missed out on purchasing from the Gross Domestic Store’s website, no need to worry! The Graffiti Street store has a fantastic selection of Banksy’s pieces that you’ll love. Add unique and meaningful artwork to your collection by checking out our selection here.

If you are unable to find a specific Banksy artwork that you have been searching for, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be more than happy to assist you in your search.

Image @ GraffitiStreet.com

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