The director of the Auckland art gallery which just sold three original Banksy prints for record-breaking prices says the iconic street artist may have once dated a New Zealander.
International Art Center director Richard Thomson spoke to The AM Show on Wednesday morning about the auction, which saw the trio of artworks fetch a total of NZ$138,000.
Thomson said the screenprints were all purchased for as little as £60 in 2005 by a Kiwi living in London, who attended a party thrown by Banksy's publishing house - and that may not be the only Kiwi connection to the mysterious artist.
"I've been finding out some fascinating things," Thomson said.
"I don't know if I can say this on television... but let's just say he may have dated a New Zealander at one point."
Thomson remained tight-lipped about any further details of Banksy's former lover, but when asked if the woman knew who she was dating, he replied: "I believe she did".
Each of the works on sale went for upwards of $40,000 at Tuesday's auction, a hefty price tag thanks in no small part to the allure of Banksy's perpetual anonymity.
