Banksy opens Gross Domestic Product
South of London, the small and quiet town of Croydon , on the outskirts of the capital, receives more attention than ever. Whom Church Street , an old rug store was turned into a home goods store called Gross Domestic Product (i.e. Gross Domestic Product), the new installation of banksy .
This establishment is not a business: it is a declaration of intent. To get started, It is a place that cannot be entered. Here the important thing is the great showcase to carefully observe all the products from the street, as an open-air museum (and exactly like those museums that show the works of Banksy without the express authorization of the artist).
On his Instagram, Banksy clarifies the reason for the Opening of Gross Domestic Product : protest the capitalization of his work without his authorization. He, by not revealing his identity or expressly becoming the owner of his work, has seen how exhibitions and auctions have made money (and a lot) with his work.
In fact, this very Thursday, October 3, his great work 'Developed Parliament' (large format painting from 2009 showing a group of chimpanzees arguing in the UK House of Commons, brought back to the present day in the midst of the furious Brexit debate) will be auctioned at Sotheby's and promises to reach historical figures.
'Developed Parliament', Banksy
That is why the artist has decided to denounce the situation as he knows best: giving visibility to the problem with an installation on the street. he did so opening the hotel with the worst views in the world (the one that looked at the Israeli wall in the West Bank) or with the paintings that he sold in the streets of Venice last May to denounce mass tourism.
WHAT YOU CAN FIND IN THE BANKSY STORE
The name of this housewares store is not a coincidence: the Gross Domestic Product of a country It is the monetary value of all your goods and services produced over a period of time. It is, ultimately, what defines you in material terms.
Welcome to Gross Domestic Product
Thus, in this store, you can find a baby crib watched by multiple security cameras , a group of life jackets that serve as welcome mats, a police helmet turned into a disco ball, several clocks with rats trying to run on their faces, the rapper Stormzy's vest designed by Banksy himself (a vest with the British flag stabbed into it) ...
Also a tombstone whose epitaph is "You have now reached your final destination", a group of toys for children in which small figures (of emigrants) fill a truck with babies and various objects or a television that says "Crisis, as always".
Two security guards from Gross Domestic Product
This 'open-air museum ' will remain open 24 hours with the lights on so the protest doesn't die down. On his Instagram, Banksy shares the declaration of intent of the particular establishment: Gross Domestic Product, where art irritates life.
HOW TO BUY AT THE BANKSY STORE
Quoting the message itself posted on his Instagram: “Welcome to the “ next level” of the design of household items . This showroom is intended for display purposes only and its doors will not open. Sales will be made online when the website is activated (...) We hope to offer something to everyone: prices start from £10 but availability will be limited. All of these products are handmade in the UK using existing or recycled materials. Including ideas."
Neighbors at the door of Gross Domestic Product