A provocative Banksy artwork owned by Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus could fetch £5 million ($6.3 million) at Sotheby’s London auction next month. Crude Oil (Vettriano) – part of Banksy’s 2005 series parodying classic paintings – merges environmental activism with the artist’s signature wit, directly challenging corporate pollution.
Hoppus, who purchased the piece with his wife Skye in 2011, described Banksy as a “kinesthetic extension of punk’s DIY ethos.”
Street art and punk both scream, ‘Create when no one’s watching,’he told Sotheby’s. This painting isn’t just investment — it’s our household manifesto.
The work reimagines Jack Vettriano’s The Singing Butler with apocalyptic additions: a sinking oil tanker and toxics-carrying figures. Banksy originally designed the series to spotlight how big business, not vandals, ravages ecosystems.
Proceeds will aid three causes:
- California Fire Foundation (wildfire relief)
- Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
- Cedars Sinai cancer research
Hoppus plans to reinvest remaining funds into emerging artists’ works. The sale continues Banksy’s auction dominance — his shredded Love is in the Bin sold for $25.4 million in 2021.
Currently displayed in New York until February 22, Crude Oil moves to London from February 26-March 4. Market analysts note its blend of environmental relevance and punk pedigree could drive bids beyond estimates.
