Ever the trickster, Bansky continues to be a provocateur. Exactly a year from when Love In The Bin was created during an auction, another painting has been making waves, just in time for the Brexit deadline. The press has been buzzing about his featured piece in Sotheby’s London Contemporary Art Evening Auction, noting subtle differences since its debut at the Bristol Museum in 2009.
Originally titled Question Time, the painting depicts the House of Commons entirely populated by irate chimpanzees. Banksy has subtly reworked the 2009 painting, creating Devolved Parliament. Chandeliers have been removed, giving the space a darker ambiance. The orientation of one chimp’s banana has been inverted, and some ornate wooden carvings have been changed, leading fans to hunt for secret meanings in the changes. Devolved Parliament was on public display at Sotheby’s London before the October 3 auction. This 13-foot painting is the largest known canvas by Banksy and had a presale estimate of $1.9 million to $2.5 million.