British artist Banksy aims to raise over three million pounds for the British health system (NHS) by auctioning one of his paintings as a "universal tribute" to the staff of the country's hospitals engaged in the fight against the coronavirus.
According to reports from the BBC, the painting -
called 'Game Changer'
- had appeared in Southampton General Hospital during the first wave of the pandemic and Banksy has decided to sell the original canvas to the highest bidder, while a reproduction of the work will remain in the hospital. .
The painting, which was valued at 2.5-3.5 million pounds by auction house Christie's, shows a child playing with superhero puppets but prefers that of a nurse with a mask to Batman and Spiderman, who leaves in a basket.
The image, measuring one meter by one meter, is located in an atrium near the hospital emergency room and will be exhibited at the Christie's auction house in London from 8 to 15 March to be sold on 23 March.
The painting "offers an image of hope", commented Katharine Arnold of Christie's: "Game Changer is a universal tribute to all those who fight on the front lines of this crisis around the world."
