Banksy claimed he had a close call with “an angry babushka” while painting on bombed-out buildings in Ukraine as he released a new limited edition print to raise money for a charity providing support to civilians affected by Russia’s invasion, which began in February.
The Legacy Of War Foundation lent the anonymous street artist one of its ambulances to work from when he painted multiple murals in and around Ukraine’s capital Kyiv last month, he revealed in a statement shared on the charity’s website on Friday.
The vehicle “turned out to be extremely useful when an angry babushka found me painting on her building and called the Police,” he said. “I feel the least I should do is raise enough money to replace the number plates on the ambulance I hotted up.”
Banksy shared an image of the rat-themed art screen print on Instagram.
There are 50 prints available at 5,000 British pounds each, or around $6,100.
Registration to be in with a chance of buying the art ends on Dec. 16.
The 250,000 British pounds (around $306,000) expected to be raised from the sale of the prints will buy new ambulances and support vehicles “for the continued evacuation of persons with disabilities, the elderly and civilian casualties,” said Giles Duley, the foundation’s CEO.
“We will be sending generators, gas heaters and solar-powered lights to communities who are facing the brutal winter without electricity,” Duley explained. “And we will be able to continue our support for shelters in Kyiv for women and the LGBTQ community.”
Banksy has claimed credit for at least seven artworks in Ukraine.
He confirmed his involvement via this video on Instagram:
Last week, one of the murals was put under police protection after a group was arrested trying to steal it from a wall.
See all of Banksy’s Ukraine art here:
