Featuring some of the most notable names, past and present, in the world of street art, the selling exhibition “They Would Be Kings” will bring graffiti to the Sotheby’s Hong Kong gallery this month.Curated by notable London street-art dealer Steve Lazarides and presented by the Sotheby’s S|2 division, the exhibition will feature works from artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy, whose 2014 show in London inspired “They Would Be Kings.”The Hong Kong street-art scene will be represented by the “King of Kowloon,” Tsang Tsou Choi (1921-2007), whose distinctive calligraphic graffiti was a feature of the city’s streets for decades. As Choi’s moniker reflects, “King” is a term widely used among street artists, and it’s this convention that gives the exhibition its name.Choi’s contribution to the show is an untitled 1997 work. In his later years, the artist gave up using the walls of Hong Kong as his canvas. Instead, he turned to large pieces of nylon and other materials, as seen in the work that goes on exhibit this month. The piece recounts the tale of his supposedly royal ancestors, a theme Choi revisited in many of his pieces.Though Tsang Tsou Choi’s work is graffiti in the fairly traditional sense, “They Would Be Kings” takes a wider view of street art. “I view what is now dubbed street art as a philosophy rather than a specific style of art,” explains Lazarides. “It is about a sense of freedom from the frankly boring and blinkered confines of the traditional art world. These artists forged their own path; they bludgeoned their way into the public consciousness and then were finally noticed by the art world.”Works included in the exhibition under this description range from “KAT_11,” 2011, one of Invader’s signature 8-bit-inspired mosaics, to a tondo by KAWS, featuring a primary-colored creature, and “Bomb Middle England,” 2002, Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy-14779">Banksy’s spray-painted depiction of women playing bowls with bombs.Works by FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA-1287812">FUTURA, Ramelzee, JR, VHILS-1287815">VHILS-1287815">VHILS-1287815">VHILS-1287815">VHILS-1287815">VHILS-1287815">VHILS-1287815">VHILS-1287815">VHILS-1287815">VHILS-1287815">VHILS, and Zevs will also be exhibited.“They Would Be Kings” runs March 17-26 at the Sotheby’s Hong Kong gallery.
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