A stab-proof vest decorated with a union jack flag created by British street artist Banksy, similar to one worn by hip-hop star Stormzy at the Glastonbury Festival, sold in London for £780,000 ($1 million) on Wednesday.
The vest, made from a former police issue garment, was one of five created by the graffiti artist to highlight the high levels of knife crime in the UK and went under the hammer at Sotheby’s auction house.
British rapper Stormzy made the vest famous when he wore another from the same collection during his 2019 performance on Glastonbury’s main stage.
“In a way only Banksy can, he manages to powerfully condense a complex social issue through one redolent object,” said Emma Baker, head of contemporary evening sale at Sotheby’s.
“There is no doubt this artwork is more pertinent now than when the first vest debuted at Glastonbury -– an event that saw it become the symbol of a defining cultural moment,” she added.
The sale value was more than double the pre-sale estimate of £300,000.
London police last month charged two men with burglary after another Banksy work, “Girl with Balloon”, was stolen from a gallery in the UK capital.