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Authorities in Spain have broken up a group involved in the production of counterfeit art, believed to be from renowned British street artist Banksy. These fraudulent pieces have been sold for exorbitant prices, some reaching 1,500 euros or more.
The Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s regional police, reported conducting a search in a residential building in Zaragoza, where individuals were producing counterfeit items and selling them through auctions, antique stores, and online marketplaces.
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According to the Mossos, four individuals are being investigated and have been charged with fraud and offenses involving intellectual property. Authorities have confiscated nine pieces of work and have documented at least 25 transactions with victims located in Spain, Germany, Switzerland, the United States, and Scotland.
The police reported that a pair of individuals who admired Banksy’s street art, but were facing financial difficulties, produced Banksy-inspired pieces using stencils and ink stamps they obtained from a workshop in Zaragoza. Initially, they sold these works for no more than 80 euros.
located in the center
Forged pieces credited to the creator Banksy and discovered in a studio situated in the heart of town.
However, a distributor who is familiar with the operations of the graphic work market, along with an affiliated distribution body, created fraudulent certificates falsely crediting the pieces to the elusive Banksy, whose true identity remains unknown.
Banksy’s “Dismaland” project, a theme park-style installation that took place in the British town of Weston-super-Mare in 2015, included presentations of various artworks.
However, Pest Control, the sole entity responsible for authenticating Banksy’s pieces, discovered that the artworks and accompanying certificates were fraudulent.
The phony Banksy art studio in Spain.
The authorities have reported that the investigation is ongoing and they are not ruling out the possibility of additional victims and arrests.
The only place to purchase new artwork by the artist is Pest Control. The website provides guidance on determining the authenticity of Banksy merchandise: “Banksy only occasionally creates merchandise for specific projects. Therefore, if something appears to be a ‘Banksy product,’ it is most likely not authentic.”
“It’s humorous to mention that a person in Norway legally changed their name to ‘Banksy’ with the intention of receiving payment for promoting wine. However, it’s important to approach these products with doubt. Are you familiar with the saying ‘in vino veritas’? It does not apply in this situation.”
Source: independent.co.uk
