Banksy Never Tires to Surprise – New Painting Will Raise Millions for UK National Health Service

A painting by UK street artist Banksy is expected to raise millions of pounds for the staff of Britain's state-run National Health Service (NHS) at auction on Tuesday.

The painting by the elusive artist, titled "Game Changer", first appeared at Southampton General Hospital on England's south coast, during the first wave of the global health crisis last May.

The black-and-white painting shows a small boy playing with a nurse doll wearing a mask and a cape. Spiderman and Batman superhero toys lie discarded in a bin behind him.

The artist -- who first emerged out of Bristol's graffiti scene in southwest England in the 1990s -- left a note with the painting thanking hospital staff for their work battling the pandemic.

"Thanks for all you're doing. I hope this brightens up the place a bit, even if it's only in black and white," he wrote.

Christie's auction house has placed a pre-sale estimate of between £2.5 million ($3.5 million, 2.9 million euros) and £3.5 million on the artwork.

Proceeds from the auction will go to NHS charities and a reproduction of the piece will continue to hang at Southampton General Hospital.

- 'Shock and surprise' -

Christie's said in a statement the painting was a departure from Banksy's usual irreverent style and was instead "a personal tribute to those who continue to turn the tide of the pandemic".

"As an artwork, however, it will remain forever a symbol of its time: a reminder of the world's real game changers, and of the vital work they perform," the international art seller said. 

The painting may also have a political subtext though, as it was donated shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the public antibody tests could be a "game changer" in the pandemic -...