Sumo: a Big Book at a Bargain Price

Helmut Newton’s Sumo is aptly named. Weighing in at over 30kg (we know, we have to lift it to ship it to you!), 464 pages, limited to 10,000 signed and numbered copies, it is a giant book in every sense. Which is why Philippe Starck designed a stand to display the book and its images in all their glory.

Sumo has always been much sought after with prices rising steadily since it was published in 1999. Prices hit a high at Phillips on 8 May when one of the 10,000 books in the edition was sold for….£10,000. We have one of the very same limited editions selling for half the price (but not half the size).

Inflatable art – has the world gone mad?

There are many art trends which do the rounds but this one is one of the more weird ones. Inflatable art has taken the world by storm of late, with one buyer paying almost $1m for an inflatable balloon dog.

We ask, can a giant rubber duck or a giant red ball floating along rivers be classed as art? Frankly we’re unsure, we’re open to self expression, but there’s nothing original or unique about these pieces.

One thing is for sure, they’re causing a media stir with The Guardian and The Telegraph being ever so slightly fixated on the trend.

Someone may have answered our prayers as the giant rubber duck in Victoria Harbour was deflated. We suspect fowl play….

We want to know what you think about this. Tweet us your comments to @monographart

Banksy – Causing a stir again

Last February under the cover of the night, Banksy’s ‘Slave Labour’ was taken from the Poundland wall in Wood Green much to the shock of London and the world.

It became a bit of a ‘whodunnit’ with everyone from newspapers, art critics and the general public guessing who had stolen the latest Banksy. It also sparked the argument that now not even street art is safe.

It emerged over night in Miami and was due to be auctioned for a substantial $700,000. After much public uproar from Haringey Council it was removed at the last second. The N22 Banksy was safe…

Mark 2 June in your calendar because this Banksy is back in London, just not on the Poundland wall. Instead it has taken up residence in the London Film Museum in Covent Garden ready for another auction.

Do you think public art like this should be left? We think so, it’s one of the many reasons to visit London, especially the likes of Brick Lane where street art thrives. Bansky created this mural as a statement and a statement for the public no less, if he wanted it to be bought by an art dealer he’d have gone and sprayed it on a wall in Mayfair or Shoreditch!

Give us our Banksy back! If you agree with us tweet us with the hashtag #giveusourbanskyback