Banksy’s is now estimated to be in his fifties yet he remains as prolific and in-demand as ever, as evidenced by the numerous spray-painted animals that have appeared across London this year. It seems likely that the enigmatic artist will continue creating street art until the end of his days.
“Banksy will never retire. I’ve told him countless times to do so. He needs to enjoy his life,” says Steve Lazarides, a fellow Bristolian who has had the privilege of knowing Banksy as well as anyone as the street artist became a phenomenon. As his photographer, manager, and collaborator from 1997 to 2008, Lazarides has a unique perspective on the artist’s career.
As he prepares to part with most of the treasured possessions from their time together, Lazarides looks back fondly on their partnership. With a hint of paternal pride, he remarks: “Banksy, what is all the fuss about? Have a look at what he’s done.
“He was way past being a graffiti artist even in the early 2000s the guy was going out and doing exhibition drops. We were doing shows with 200 live rats in. He was taking it to the man. Who else is gonna go and take a picture and put it in the Tate? Most people don’t think like that, let alone execute. That is where we came in.”
Lazarides, 55, first met Banksy while working at Sleazenation magazine in the late 1990s, when he was sent to photograph the artist in Bristol. He was struck by Banksy’s audacity and creativity, and they exchanged numbers, reported the Mirror.
“It was funny and he had balls, I was fully sold and I would do anything to help this kid. After the shoot we had a few beers… And then a few more.” Shortly after their initial encounter, Steve gave Banksy a ride in Bristol to collect screenprints, and that’s where their partnership began selling these pieces straight from the boot of a car, with each print initially going for as little as £5, one of them being the now-famous Rude Copper.
Steve quickly realised the potential value of these artworks and proposed a business strategy to the elusive artist: “I said why don’t we set something up and do this properly. I took an artist and a movement from being worth £250 a canvas to £5 million.”
As Banksy’s notoriety skyrocketed and his renown became global, so too did the price tags on his prints soar. Reflecting on those heady days, Steve remarked: “Did I think it could get that big? Absolutely not. We were just two kids having fun.”
Maintaining Banksy’s anonymity presented its challenges, with Steve careful not to divulge too much information: “The anonymity was a big thing, it started off with self preservation in Bristol. He didn’t want to get caught, he didn’t want to go to jail, fair enough.
“And then as the years went by and it went on for longer, I think that the anonymity became quite a disease. Everyone has this figure in their mind, they have a folk hero, and it looks different in everybody’s mind. He’s never really got to enjoy the fame he got.”
Banksy’s commitment to maintaining his secret identity was such that after completing each piece of street art, he would switch phones, sticking to cheap pay-as-you-go devices. Steve reminisced: “Every couple of weeks, I’ll have to go out and buy two new burner phones with cash and not giving any address. My shops became further outside Central London because I didn’t want to keep going back to the same one. I ended up with a room full.”
The most memorable moment for Steve while working with Banksy came in 2004 during an audacious stunt at the Natural History Museum in London. Disguised and seemingly undetected, Banksy successfully placed a taxidermy rat inside a display box on the wall.
Steve, who often accompanied Banksy to capture photos and document his major feats, recounted: “The stunt at the Natural History Museum tops the lot. Drilling holes into the walls and putting up a real stuffed rat in the middle of half-term will take some beating that’s for sure. He picked a space that’s just behind the big dinosaur that they’ve got in the entrance. Much to my surprise, he pulled a drill out of his bag.”
Yet another infamous episode in Banksys career occurred in October 2003 when he, donning the disguise of a senior citizen, managed to hang one of his artworks in Tate Britain by slipping it into an empty space on the gallery walls.
Aside from the high jinks and striking murals, there are those sought-after prints. Arguably the most iconic image is known as Girl with Balloon, and Steve suggests it might symbolise a past love affair.
Steve openly dismisses the piece, labelling it “the housewife’s favourite” whilst brandishing a replica in a PR clip, before disclosing: “Shown a thousand times around the world. Rumour is that (girl) is his ex-bird and he painted this when he was upset she dumped him, which sounds about right.”
However, when prompted for more details by the Mirror, he refrained: “The origins of Girl with Balloon will remain a secret, I’ve been sworn to secrecy, so only his Lordship can tell.”
Steve anticipates his online sale through Julien’s will rake in upwards of £1 million. The cornucopia of items on the block includes original templates utilised by the enigmatic artist, mobile phones, handwritten notes and sketches for schemes and even a timeworn pair of Puma brand Turf War trainers personally adorned by Banksy with his signature etched within.
Collectors will be clamouring for the templates graced with classic Banksy rats, his autograph, and an ape motif are tipped to be highly desired. The elusive artist exhibited his own showcase in 2023 titled ‘Cut and Run’, which prominently featured similar templates.
Since parting ways with Banksy, Steve has set up his own gallery featuring works including Banksy prints. Now, seeking to distance himself further, he expressed a desire to refocus on his photography career: “I want to get on with my life as a photographer, this is what I was doing very well before the Banksy mania. It’s time to let the Banksy escapades go,” he explained, despite some accusing him of selling private materials meant to remain confidential.
(Image: PA)
Steve claims that Banksy would likely be “quietly supportive” of his decision to sell, although those close to the artist have dismissed this suggestion out of hand. Observers have noted the sale as an apparent admission of the rift between the two, hinting that a reunion is not on the cards.
Promoting the auction in a short film, Steve reflects, “We never really got on, we were different slices of life. We both recognised we could have a great working relationship, and we did.”
The sale, titled ‘The Banksy Archive of Steve Lazarides Auction‘, is underway online at Julien’s Auctions and will conclude at 5pm on Thursday, October 31.
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