It appears Banksy is too big for the Westside.
Organizers of “The Art of Banksy: ‘Without Limits,’” will announce today that the North American premiere of the grafitti artist’s iconic work will now be held in Underground Atlanta when it opens on Sept. 3.
Credit: Courtesy of SEE Global Entertainment
Credit: Courtesy of SEE Global Entertainment
SEE Global Entertainment, which is sponsoring the world tour of “Without Limits,” said ticket sales in Atlanta were so strong that the original venue of the Westside Cultural Arts Center in West Midtown was swapped for Underground. Despite Underground’s beleaguered history and recent sales bent on restoring vitality to the once popular shopping and entertainment district, at roughly 225,000 square feet, it offers more than enough room to display more than 140 of the elusive British street artist’s original works
.
“Due to strong interest for tickets to The Art of Banksy: ‘Without Limits’ we decided to relocate to Underground Atlanta from Midtown so that more fans will have access to the artist’s works in a larger presentation space with more parking and public transportation options as well as an adjacent hotel,” said Martin Biallas, CEO of SEE Global Entertainment.
Biallas said that more than 3,000 tickets to the show were sold within the first 20 minutes that they went on sale on May 18. Though the show is touring internationally, Banksy has not endorsed the exhibition. The artist, who for at least 25 years has been fastidious about not revealing his identity, shuns commercial presentations of his work. This despite the fact that one of his works sold last year for nearly $10 million at auction.
In a written statement attributed to him, Banksy wrote: “Members of the public should be aware there has been a recent spate of Banksy exhibitions none of which are consensual. They’ve been organised entirely without the artist’s knowledge or involvement. Please treat them accordingly.”
But the latest owner and developer of Underground Atlanta, Shaneel Lalani, CEO of Lalani Ventures, said in a statement that the exhibition would be a boon for the venue, which hasn’t commanded the city’s entertainment and shopping scene in decades.
Credit: Courtesy of SEE Global Entertainment
Credit: Courtesy of SEE Global Entertainment
“As we look to reestablish Underground’s significance in Atlanta, attracting one-of-a-kind experiences for our community is our first step,” said Lalani. “The Art of Banksy: ‘Without Limits’ exhibition is the most unique artist experience on the market right now, and we’re thrilled to be the host site. The urban and historic aesthetic Underground offers is the perfect backdrop for pieces of the world’s most famous street artist to be displayed and enjoyed by our city.”
The exhibition runs through January 9.
EVENT PREVIEW
“The Art of Banksy: Without Limits”
Sept. 3-Jan. 9, 2022. Tickets starting at $29.20. Underground Atlanta, 50 Upper Alabama St. SW, Atlanta. 646-849-6917, artofbanksy.com.
About the Author
