Banksy disavows unauthorized Moscow exhibition via Instagram chat

Banksy publicly disavowed an unauthorized exhibition of his work in Moscow through a posted Instagram chat. The show, 'Banksy. Genius or vandal? It's up to you!', opened on June 2, 2018, at the Central House of Artists, featuring over 100 works including photographs, prints, 3D objects, and original pieces, plus a multimedia show. Organizer Aleksandr Nachkebiya told RT that political tensions between Russia and Britain made it difficult to secure loans, with some collectors refusing due to the 'negative political background' and others demanding impossible insurance. Banksy, alerted by an anonymous user, expressed ignorance and frustration, stating he does not charge people to see his art. He then published the chat, garnering 360,000 likes and over 7,000 comments, with many followers questioning the chat's authenticity and debating the ethics of monetizing public art. Meanwhile, Milan's Mudec clarified that its upcoming November exhibition 'The Art of Banksy. A visual protest' is also unofficial and unauthorized.