The works of one of the world’s most mysterious modern street artists are on display in Christchurch – widely regarded as New Zealand’s street art capital.
More than 150 Banksy works can be viewed from today at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, offering audiences a rare opportunity to standface-to-face with well-known pieces such as Girl with Balloon and Flower Thrower.
Banksy’s street art appears in public – but the artist does not. His true identity remains a secret despite intense speculation.
The Art of Banksy curator and producer Michel Boersma promises that this exhibition is the “closest you’ll ever get to meeting the guy”.
“This is a blockbuster, museum-grade exhibition, giving you access to the brain of Banksy as close as humanly possible in this world,” Boersma says.
As the largest Banksy exhibition operating with authenticated art, Boersma says there’s more than meets the eye with each artwork on display.
“You’re guided through the exhibition where visual moments have been created, in a theatrical way so that you see the unexpected. We have interviews from his ex-girlfriends, and we have the personal messages at the back of the frames. We have the hand-drawn sketches – the actual, hand-drawn sketches.”
Each piece has been rented from a Banksy owner, who according to Boersma, want the artworks to be seen.
“Most of those who rent pieces to the exhibition are long-term Banksy buyers. When Banksy wasn’t Banksy, there was a small group of people who were buying direct from him. They are lovers of the work who rent it to us because they want people to see the artwork, instead of having it hang on the wall.”
The Art of Banksy is not curated or authorised by the artist and only displays authenticated art sold or gifted by the artist, no replicas or art removed from the street.
The exhibition runs until Tuesday January 27, 2026.
