Street Artist claims Banksy artwork is his

A street artist who goes by the name of Silent Bill says the stencil of a rat attributed to Banksy is his.

He is well known in the Liverpool art scene, and he has been inspired by Banksy’s work in the past.

He said he created the rat stencil in 2013. The piece was picked up by the Channel 4 television show The Greatest Auction after it was removed from the wall in Chapel Street, Liverpool by a person or persons unknown.

it was bought by a renowned art dealer, Robin Barton.

At the time of the auction, experts raised their doubts about the authenticity of the piece, but Banksy dealer, Robin Barton won the bidding war against a collector on the phone from Dubai. He said at the time “In this instance, my reputation is on the line.”

Silent Bill, however, wasn’t happy with the outcome he said: “The sale of the piece is everything that’s wrong within the art world, greedy rich people who can afford trophy art pieces as tax incentives.”

“Street art pieces are, as intended by its name, for the street. When Banksy comes to Liverpool and gifts the city a piece it’s for the people of the city, it’s not for concierge and lifestyle services to cut from walls.”

“Whilst I am thinking ‘A fool and his money’ I am also thinking the sale highlights the UK’s current inequality and austerity when the paint on a wall has just sold for the cost that would house two homeless families.”

“I think the seller should donate the money to worthwhile charities and the buyer should re-evaluate their art portfolio.”

The piece was accompanied by a piece of writing that said, “I never liked this Banksy” and was written by Silent Bill as a homage to an earlier drawing of a rat by Banksy in which he had written, “I never liked the Beatles.” And this fact was well known in the lower echelons of the street art scene.