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You can now own an original Banksy for just £10 – but there’s a catch

Banksy has opened an online store.

Banksy has opened an online store. Photo: GBP

Banksy has launched his own online store, selling stab vests, tombstones and a mug for just £10 ($A19).

But there is, of course, a catch.

The anonymous artist is vetting potential buyers to try and stop art dealers cleaning up and re-selling the works at inflated prices.

The store, titled Gross Domestic Product, is for fans with slimmer wallets.

“The artist has price-fixed the first consignment of releases at a reduced rate for lower-income patrons,” the front page of the site reads.

“In most cases, this is far below market value. Please refrain from registering at this time if you are a wealthy art collector.”

Banksy devotes can fill their virtual carts with a T-shirt bearing his famous girl with a heart balloon – its bottom part shredded, a disco ball made of a police helmet or the famous stab vest worn by rapper Stormzy at Glastonbury.

The vest, which is stab-proof but not machine washable, was valued by Joey Syer, co-founder of MyArtBroker.com for north of £200,000, but  is selling it for £850 on the site.

The description reads: “A version of the ‘John Bull’ English gents waistcoat updated for modern times.”

The cheapest work is a £10 mug, with a painting of a rat on it, a steal considering the artist’s “Devolved Parliament”, a 13-foot long painting depicting MPs as chimpanzees, went for just under £9.9 million ($18 million) this month.

The cheapest work on the site is a £10 mug. Photo: Bansky

To stop dealers purchasing the works, potential buyers must register their interest in one – and only one – work and answer the question ‘Why does art matter?”

The site pleads with potential customers to: “Please buy an item because you like it, not because you think it is a good investment.”

“An independent judge will examine the tie-breaker questions and select those applications which the judge finds to be the most apt and original,” it says.

The judge is British comedian Adam Bloom, a statement from the artist revealed.

In his usual subversive style, the artists also warns that many customers may be disappointed – because he and his crew often day drank while they make the works.

Bansky announced the online store over social media. Photo: Instagram

“You are advised that GDP may prove to be a disappointing retail experience – especially if you’re successful in making a purchase,” it reads.

The online version of the store follows a brick and mortar pop-up shop from the artists, which came about after a trademark dispute with a greetings card company.

At the time, Banksy said the motivation behind the venture was “possibly the least poetic reason to ever make some art.”

“A greetings card company is contesting the trademark I hold to my art,” he said in a statement. “And attempting to take custody of my name so they can sell their fake Banksy merchandise legally.”

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