Banksy (1974) Attrib Drill the Sleeping Policeman

Banksy (b. 1974), Attributed, Drill the Sleeping Policeman Sign, GB, ca. 2003. Spray paint on used metallic, reflective road sign. 26.5 inches wide by 23.5 inches high. Executed on a street sign in London in 2003, the work was realized on a hump ahead road sign located across from 9, Tedworth Square in London, England. The original location of this sign is near the locations where Banksy executed other, larger works, including Shop ’til you drop. This is a particularly meaningful depiction of the Drill Rat stencil, a recurring one in Banksyworks, because it is drilling into a bump which is referred to, in British slang, as a sleeping policeman. Works aimed at disrupting the corrupt police state in protest are another mainstay of Banksy works. Literature: Banksy: Wall and Piece, The larger version of the Drill Rat stencil is pictured on P.104; A Rat stencil on road sign is pictured on P.106. Provenance: Removed from location by a private collector from Rochester, Kent in 2003. Acquired directly from this collector by the present owner in 2017. Private collection, Montreal. Please note, signature was added for presentation. Some cracks to plexiglass case. Total dimensions: 33.5 inches squared by 3.75 inches thick.

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