Ever stayed in a hotel and really liked the artwork adorning the walls? Ever wished it was hanging on a wall in your home? Ever stolen a piece of artwork?
No?
Well, from tomorrow in Melbourne, The Art Series Hotels are offering people the chance to steal a $15,000 Banksy artwork right off their walls starting at 10am.
The artwork No Ball Games, which will be hung Thursday morning in one of the Art Series Hotels, will be exposed and ready to be stolen by guests.
From 15th December to 15th January, visitors to Melbourne staying at Art Series Hotels will have the opportunity to try and steal it. If they do, it’s theirs to keep. If they get caught, the artwork goes back on the wall.
Will Deague, CEO of Art Series Hotels, said “Art Series Hotels are passionate about supporting the arts in Melbourne and creating unique, inspired experiences for our guests. Although we don’t normally promote stealing the Hotel artwork, we’re excited about the StealBanksy concept and welcoming guests with their creativity and cunning.”
“No Ball Games is just one of a handful of signed and authenticated Banksys available in Australia. It is in a frame about one metre by one metre and is not extremely heavy but it will be hard to smuggle out, so planning is the key. Thieves also need to know that only the Banksy can be stolen and they can’t damage any part of the hotel in the process.”
No Ball Games will be moved between the three Art Series Hotels – The Cullen, The Olsen and The Blackman – throughout 15th of December 2011 to 15th of January 2012 and can be stolen by guests of the hotel only. Hints on its whereabouts will be released through Twitter and Facebook.
UPDATE 19/12/2011:
The Art Series Hotel’s newly acquired Banksy – No Ball Games – artwork has been stolen from The Blackman Hotel on St Kilda Street in Melbourne.
The Art Series Hotel Group made history last week by offering its guests the opportunity to steal the Banksy and after just five days of hanging, a very clever thief has stolen it.
Maura Tuohy checked in to the hotel on Saturday night and stole the Banksy by pretending to be from an Art Series Hotel agency.
Guests who still want to get a chance to steal a Banksy of their own have until the 15th January to come and stay the night and steal the art. The next Banksy on offer is the iconic Pulp Fiction.
