Banksy’s Game Changer canvas has today sold for a record £16.7m (including Buyer’s Premium fees) at Christie’s in London against its estimate of a much lower £2.5m-£3.5m.
Banksy will donate the hammer price of £14.4m to help support health organisations and charities across the UK that enhance the NHS’s care and treatment. Christie’s Auction House will “donate a significant portion of the Buyer’s Premium to these causes” too.
The Game Changer canvas first appeared in May 2020 at the University Hospital Southampton as a thank you to all the staff and NHS workers across the country during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The black and white artwork shows a little boy playing with a superhero nurse whilst Batman and Spiderman’s usual heroes are now in the trash.
A reproduction of Game Changer will remain on view at University Hospital Southampton hospital.