At a Los Angeles-based auction, Steve Lazarides is preparing to say goodbye to a giant trove of Banksy artwork and memorabilia, expected to make millions

After several tumultuous years, the former Banksy associate Steve Lazarides saw the writing on the wall. Between the challenges of the pandemic, the escalating cost of living, mental health struggles and a weighty financial setback from his now-defunct manufacturing company, Lazarides suddenly found himself longing to reclaim his first love, photography.

To dedicate himself to his craft fully, he is selling his one-of-a-kind collection of Banksy artwork and artifacts. “This has been a large part of my life for the last 25 years, whether I was working with him or not,” Lazarides said over a Zoom call from London last week. “I just want it out of my in-tray and to go back to concentrating on taking photographs again.”