Banksy mural sold for $750K
A Banksy mural from New Orleans — produced in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina — sold at a Netherlands auction for $750,000, prompting debate over its future and its current display at the Presbytère on Jackson Square. The sale has reopened questions about ownership and public display of street‑born works. ( )
The work is catalogued under the title "Gray Ghost Attacks Stick Figure" and is dated to August 2008. (hessink.com) Hessink’s lot description classifies it as stencil, freehand and spray paint applied to a masonry wall, measuring approximately 244 x 152.5 cm (96.06 x 60.03 in) and with a listed weight of about 2,500 kilos. (hessink.com) The auction catalogue states the image was originally painted on the side of a former firehouse at 514 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans’ lower Garden District. (hessink.com) Hessink offered the piece as Lot 15 in its "20/21 Century | STREETART" sale held on March 28, 2026. (findglocal.com) The house and catalogue list the provenance as "private collection New Orleans" after the mural was removed from its original wall and conserved for sale. (hessink.com) The image references the local anti‑graffiti figure known as the "Gray Ghost" (Fred Radtke), a detail noted in the auction description and public records about the work's subject. (hessink.com, wikipedia.org) Local coverage reports the buyer was unnamed and notes that museum and city officials have not announced public, long‑term plans for the mural following the sale. (nola.com, wwltv.com)
