Proceeds of auctioned Banksy painting to benefit NHS

A painting by the still-unidentified British street artist Banksy is set to raise more than 3 million pounds ($4.1 million) for the National Health Service when it goes to auction later this month.

The artwork, titled Game Changer, first appeared in Southampton General Hospital on May 6, 2020, during the first wave of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The painting shows a young boy playing with superhero dolls. While Batman and Spider-Man lie discarded in a bin, the child clutches a masked nurse dressed in the uniform of the International Red Cross flying to the rescue, her cape fluttering and arm outstretched toward the sky.

The artist is now auctioning the original canvas with proceeds benefitting the NHS.

A reproduction of the work will remain on view in the hospital.

Auction house Christie's said the painting "offers an image of hope "and "represents a personal tribute to those who continue to turn the tide of the pandemic".

When the picture was first unveiled, an accompanying note said: "Thanks for all you're doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if it's only black and white."

The auction house said until now, the work has only been seen in person by frontline medical staff and those admitted to hospital for treatment. The auction marks Game Changer's first appearance outside the hospital.

The painting has a pre-sale estimate of 2.5 million to 3.5 million pounds.

Katharine Arnold, co-head of Post-War and Contemporary Art, Europe at Christie's, said Game Changer is a universal tribute to those around the world fighting on the frontline of the crisis.

"At a time when we can dare to hope once more, and look at life beyond the pandemic, it is important to reflect on the many symbols of strength and hope we have seen internationally since the beginning of 2020," Arnold said. "Banksy's Game Changer was a beacon of light for the staff and patients at Southampton General Hospital and it was the artist's wish to then auction it with proceeds benefitting the NHS. The work pays tribute to the strength and resilience of those who have demonstrated true leadership throughout the pandemic, the staff of our vital NHS, the nation's true heroes."

The work can be seen from the Duke Street Gallery window at Christie's Headquarters in London until March 15, ahead of the auction on March 23.

英国街头艺术家班克斯的一幅画作将于本月晚些时候拍卖，届时将为国家卫生局筹集超过300万英镑(410万美元)。这幅名为《游戏规则改变者》的作品于2020年5月6日首次出现在南安普顿综合医院，当时正值全球新冠肺炎大流行的第一波。这幅画展示了一个小男孩在玩超级英雄娃娃。当蝙蝠侠和蜘蛛侠被丢弃在垃圾箱里的时候，这个孩子抓住了一个穿着国际红十字会制服的蒙面护士，她穿着斗篷，手臂伸向天空。这位艺术家现在正在拍卖原画，所得收益将捐给英国国家医疗服务系统。该作品的复制品仍将在医院展出。佳士得拍卖行表示，这幅画“提供了一幅希望的图像”，“代表了对那些继续扭转疫情趋势的人的个人敬意”。当这幅画第一次亮相时，附带的一张纸条写道:“谢谢你所做的一切。我希望这能让这个地方变得明亮一点，即使它只是黑白的。”拍卖行表示，到目前为止，这项工作只有一线医务人员和住院治疗的人员亲眼见过。此次拍卖标志着《游戏规则改变者》首次在医院外亮相。这幅画的预售估价为250万至350万英镑。佳士得欧洲战后与当代艺术联席主管凯瑟琳·阿诺德(Katharine Arnold)表示，《游戏规则改变者》是对世界各地战斗在危机前线的人们的普遍致敬。阿诺德说:“当我们敢于再次抱有希望，并着眼于大流行后的生活时，重要的是反思自2020年初以来我们在国际上看到的许多力量和希望的象征。”“班克斯的《游戏规则改变者》是南安普顿总医院工作人员和病人的指路明灯，这位艺术家希望拍卖它，所得收益将捐给英国国家医疗服务体系。这项工作是对那些在这场流行病中表现出真正领导能力的人的力量和韧性的致敬，他们是我们至关重要的国民保健制度的工作人员，是国家真正的英雄。”这件作品可以在克里斯蒂拍卖行的杜克街画廊橱窗里看到