A stabbing vest emblazoned with the British flag, created by British street artist Banksy, similar to the one worn by hip-hop star Stormzy at the Glastonbury festival, has sold in London for 780,000 pounds ($1 million).
The vest, made from a former police uniform, is one of five created by the graffiti artist to highlight the high levels of knife crime in the UK and was auctioned off at Sotheby's auction house.
British rapper Stormzy made the vest famous when he wore another from the same collection during his 2019 performance on the main stage at Glastonbury.
"In a way that only Banksy can, he manages to powerfully condense a complex social issue with one eloquent object," said Emma Baker, head of the contemporary evening sale at Sotheby's.
"There's no doubt that this artwork is more relevant now than it was when the first vest debuted at Glastonbury, an event where it became a symbol of a defining cultural moment," she added.
The sale value was more than double the preliminary estimate of £300,000.
Last month, London police charged two men with burglary after another Banksy work - "Girl with a Balloon" - was stolen from a gallery in the UK capital. | BGNES
