The world’s largest collection of Banksy artworks will go on display in central London this summer.
The Art of Banksy exhibition, which has not been authorised by the elusive Bristol-based graffiti artist, will open on Regent Street in July after previously touring cities such as Melbourne, Chicago, San Francisco and Sydney.
It features more than 110 original and authenticated works lent by private collectors, and includes art going on display for the first time.
Visitors will be able to see works that brought Banksy worldwide fame, such as Girl With Balloon, Flower Thrower and Rude Copper, alongside previously unexhibited pieces.
The exhibition also focuses on Banksy's Dismaland, the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem and recent artworks concerning the war in Ukraine.
Banksy's identity has never been confirmed and his work tends to be shrouded in mystery.
Once artworks appear in public, the artist usually lays claim to them on his official Instagram page. His works often focus on topical societal issues and can make strong political statements.
Banksy's work has taken him to Paris, New York and Bethlehem, where he opened the Walled Off Hotel in 2017, which directly faces the eight-metre-high concrete wall built by Israel to separate the Palestinian territories.
He previously confirmed he had spent time in Ukraine after posting a video of an artist spray-painting designs in the country and speaking to locals.
Art of Banksy has been seen by more than 1.5 million visitors in 15 cities across the globe, though it is not curated or authorised by the artist himself.
The Art of Banksy - in pictures
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People take pictures of a new Banksy artwork in Islington, London, in March 2024. Getty Images -

A work by Banksy is removed in Peckham, south-east London, in December 2023. Getty Images -

Graffiti created by British artist Banksy under a protective screen on the damaged wall of a residential building in Irpin, Ukraine in April 2023. Getty Images -

An artwork painted on the side of a property in Herne Bay, Kent in March 2023. PA -

The artwork by street artist Banksy, titled 'Valentine's Day Mascara' on the side of a building in Margate, Kent in February 2023. PA -

A Reveller walks by a graffiti attributed to Banksy as he arrives at Worthy Farm in Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival in June 2022. Reuters -

A Banksy artwork in Nottingham in October 2020. Reuters -

Show me the Monet by Banksy at Sotheby's Galleries in London in October 2020. AFP -
Banksy's Sunflowers From Petrol Station, inspired by Vincent van Gogh. PA -

Banksy captioned the photo of this work Game Changer. Photo: Instagram -

A customised stab-proof vest by street artist Banksy at the Design Museum in London. EPA -

A Banksy stencil posted on Instagram in June 2020, with a caption asking 'What should we do with the empty plinth in the middle of Bristol?' Photo: Instagram -

A Banksy piece inspired by the death of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests. Photo: Instagram -

Girl with a Pierced Eardrum, in Bristol. Getty -

Banksy released a new piece in his bathroom as he worked from home during the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. Photo: Instagram -

A Valentine's Day piece by Banksy appeared in Bristol in February 2020. Reuters -

A Christmas mural by Banksy in Birmingham, December 2019. The piece made a statement about homelessness. Reuters -

Banksy's pop-up shop called Gross Domestic Product in Croydon, London in 2019. AFP -

A view of Banksy's migrant child mural, half-submerged in high water in Venice, November 2019. EPA -

Devolved Parliament at Sotheby's auction house in London, featuring chimpanzees as MPs in the House of Commons. EPA -

A Banksy artwork in Marble Arch, London, at the site of an Extinction Rebellion protest camp. EPA -

Love is in the Bin at the Frieder Burda Museum in Baden-Baden, Germany. EPA -

There is Always Hope. EPA -

Season's Greetings (2018) was painted on a garage in Port Talbot, Wales. Getty -

Part of the unauthorised exhibition entitled Banksy, Genius or Vandal? in Madrid, December 2018. EPA -

A piece by Banksy, acquired by actor Robin Williams, was among auction items on display in Los Angeles, September 2018. EPA -

A Brexit-inspired mural by Banksy in Dover, south-east England. EPA -

A veiled woman in mourning beside the Bataclan concert venue in Paris where 90 people where killed by terrorists in November 2015. EPA -

An artwork attributed to Banksy showing Napoleon's horse rearing, in Paris, June 2018. EPA -

A mural depicting a rat on a popped champagne cork, in Paris, June 2018. EPA -

A rat in the inner portion of a clock in New York City, March 2018. EPA -

A Banksy mural highlights the imprisonment of Turkish artist and journalist Zehra Dogan, on the Bowery, New York City in February 2019. EPA -

A Banksy painting appeared on the first day of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. EPA -

Flying Copper on display in Berlin. EPA -

The Bridge Farm Primary School where a new mural appeared during half term in Withchurch, England. The mural was a thanks to the school for naming a school wing after Banksy. EPA -

The Son of a Migrant from Syria depicting Apple's Steve Jobs in the refugee camp called The Jungle in Calais, France. EPA -

Dismaland, a temporary exhibition that opened at a derelict seafront lido in Weston-Super-Mare, England in 2015. Getty -

Bomb Hugger after it was defaced in Hamburg, February 2015. EPA -

Banksy appeared to comment on methods used by Britain's intelligence services with this piece in Cheltenham. EPA -

The Twin Towers in Tribeca appeared in New York in 2013. EPA -

A mural by Banksy in Queens, New York. EPA -

Three years after Hurricane Katrina wrought havoc in the Gulf of Mexico, Banksy created some commemorative pieces in New Orleans, Louisiana. EPA -

Another mural by Banksy in New Orleans. EPA -

A Banksy in London, May 2008. EPA -

A piece to mark Queen Elizabeth II's golden jubilee appeared on Clink Street, near London Bridge, in May 2002. EPA
The London exhibition will, for the first time, see close associates of the artist share their personal stories and give unique insight into some of the famous images.
The anonymous accounts will also share details of how the street art stunts were devised.
The Art of Banksy will be open to the public on July 5.
Tickets will be on sale from 10am on Wednesday.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
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Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
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“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
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