For years, it has been the two-fingered salute to the conventional art world, a poke in the eye for homophobes and a feather in Brighton's non-conformist cap. But now, seven years after its creation on the side of the Prince Albert pub, Banksy's "kissing coppers" is set to be shipped out and put on sale in America.
The work, which depicts two policemen in a passionate clinch, has become a shrine for fans of the elusive graffiti artist and a regular stop on Brighton's tourist trail. But, after repeated attacks on the artwork left it severely damaged, the pub owner has decided to sell the original through a New York gallery for an sizeable fee, estimated to be anywhere from £500,000 to £1m.
"When he put it on the pub it belonged to the pub and, if it is sold, all the money will go back to the pub," said the owner Chris Steward. "It is very difficult to just keep the pub going, so a little break from that would be very welcome."
Like many of Banksy's street artworks, the kissing coppers has a colourful history. A Banksy emissary had sought permission on behalf of the street artist but the pub had no idea what to expect. "My first thought was, 'oh no'," admitted Steward. "I thought we'd get in loads of trouble for it." And when a group of uniformed officers stepped out of their cars in front of the pub, he expected the worst. "I didn't know what was going to happen but they all stood there and started taking photos of it, it was lovely," said Steward.
