During the popular Jubilee Golden Queen’s celebration in 2012, the first mural artwork appeared, depicting a young child kneeling and working on a sewing machine that produced a string of bunting. The mural, which was planned to be whitewashed, was purchased by English Ron, an artist from Street US, for £561,000. This mural, known as ‘Slave Labour’, was created by Banksy.
‘Of course I’ll sell the whitewash painting for a million dollars. I’m crazy but I’m not stupid.’- Ron English
The mural on the side of a shop in Green Wood in 2012 depicted the celebrations of Queen’s Jubilee and the London Olympics. It brought attention to the use of sweatshops and child labor in the production of souvenirs.
Julien from Said Auctions stated that the painting was sold for a total of $730,000, including a premium of $600,000 for the buyer. I am planning to whitewash it and paint over it. I am tired of people stealing from my house, so I will include this painting in the whitewashing and painting process. This is not a piece of art that should be sold on the street. This is not a piece of art that should be bought and sold on the street. I wish I could have spent more money, only if I had known, I would have suggested whitewashing it for my good friend Banksy. The English Auctions Press Association informed me about the sale at Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles on Wednesday, where the Labour Slave piece was offered for sale and purchased by someone protesting against the commodification of street art. After being legally removed from the owners’ site, it was sold and bought.
The mural, which is owned by an anonymous person, would have been sold to a collector in the US if the piece did not reach the reserve price. However, the mural has received condemnation from officials and campaigners in north London, prompting the group Sincura to restore it sensitively. The hammer originally went down on the mural during an organized event by the Sincura Group.
MP Lynne Featherstone requested the owners in order to restore the mural to Wood Green. MP Lynne Featherstone implored the owners of the artwork to return it to the inhabitants of north London.
The mural, titled (Boy) Bunting Labour Slave, is mounted on a custom platform and is accompanied by a clear protective case. The estimated value of the mural, which is created with white and black aerosol on concrete, is between $600,000 and $800,000.
Darren Julien, the President/Chief Executive Officer of Julien’s Auctions, expressed, “We cannot assure that our four Banksy’s will spontaneously shred or explode, but they will be sold to the highest bidder!” Slave Labour played a significant role in drawing worldwide focus to the mistreatment of youth, serving as one of the most widely publicized and emotionally moving instances of Banksy’s societal critique.