Di-faced Tenner, 2004

Bansky, a British graffiti artist, political activist and film director, is one of the most famous and yet anonymous art figures of our generation. His iconic and controversial stencils have conquered both the urban street and the art saleroom scenes around the world. Banksy’s rejection of capitalism and authority, accompanied by his headline-grabbing viral stunts meant to destabilize the fundamentals of ‘The Establishment’, has not spared his art from being commoditized. The artist’s most recognizable and sought-after paintings and prints are inspired by his earliest graffiti art, featuring a recurrent cast of animal and generic human characters such as chimps, rats, policemen and children.

In 2004, Banksy printed £1 million worth of his counterfeit £10 notes, swapping Queen Elizabeth II's face for Princess Diana's, and dropped a briefcase full of them into the crowd attending two different festivals in the UK. The stunt soon became one of his most notorious art performances. Those Di-faced tenners use nearly identical inks to those of official UK-issued notes. Other alterations include the inscriptions ‘Banksy of England’ and ‘I Promise to pay the bearer on demand the ultimate price’. The reverse side of the print maintains the original portrait of Darwin but includes the side note ‘Trust No One’.