an artwork by banksy self-destructed moments after it was sold at auction for more than £1 million (approximately $1.36m USD). the item under the hammer at sotheby’s auction house in london was a framed version of the ‘girl with balloon’, a 2002 mural depicting a young girl letting go of a red heart-shaped balloon. immediately after the item sold, the canvas spontaneously made its way through a shredder — which had been integrated in the picture’s hefty frame — to the absolute shock of guests in attendance.
the elusive artist posted an image of the auction on his instagram page, with the caption: ‘going, going, gone…’. ‘it appears we just got banksy-ed,’ said alex branczik, senior director and head of contemporary art of europe london while at the auction. the unexpected incident instantly became art world history.
View this post on Instagram
sotheby’s has since revealed on their instagram that banksy has agreed to ‘re-authenticate’ the piece with a new title, love is in the bin (2018). amid speculation of sotheby’s collaborating with banksy to pull of the stunt the gallery has firmly denied any involvement contemporary specialist alex branczik wrote in a recent instagram post:
let’s end the speculation and crazy conspiracy stories. banksy didn’t destroy an artwork during our evening sale last week; he created one. this is the newly titled love is in the bin, 2018. were we in on it? absolutely not. do you really think banksy, who spent his youth stencilling walls in bristol and dodging the local authorities, would want to collaborate with the art establishment? come on, you should all know better that.
it has also been revealed that the evolved piece will be on show at sotheby’s london over the weekend. love is in the bin (2018) will be on view to the public in the gallery’s new bond street galleries on saturday and sunday 13th and 14th october from noon until 5pm.
View this post on Instagram
banksy (34 articles)
an early banksy artwork painted on a truck is up for auction (and expected to be expensive)
is this banksy? archive interview could reveal identity of elusive street artist
banksy repurposes EU customs gate for anti-brexit installation in london
banksy confirms migrant child mural in venice
banksy crashes the venice art biennale with unlicensed street stall
banksy confirms port talbot 'season's greetings' mural in south wales
art news
edoardo tresoldi rebuilds a ruin at arte sella in simbiosi outdoor installation
#art
simbiosi will see nature slowly grow on it, defining a new architecture, becoming part of the arte sella fabric and ultimately blending with the park.
simbiosi will see nature slowly grow on it, defining a new architecture, becoming part of the arte sella fabric and ultimately blending with the park.
romain veillon travels across europe to photograph fresco paintings in abandoned buildings
#art
the series, titled 'the imaginary museum', shows intricate paintings alongside heaps of rubble and cracks in the walls.
the series, titled 'the imaginary museum', shows intricate paintings alongside heaps of rubble and cracks in the walls.
klaus littmann transforms austrian football stadium into native central european forest
#art
almost 300 trees have been carefully installed on the existing pitch.
almost 300 trees have been carefully installed on the existing pitch.
images reveal evolution of hokusai's 'great wave' when he was 33, 44 and 46 years old
#art
a series of archival images documents an evolution of hokusai’s 'the great wave off kanagawa', one of the world’s most celebrated works of art.
a series of archival images documents an evolution of hokusai’s 'the great wave off kanagawa', one of the world’s most celebrated works of art.
Banksy is clearly a genius. He continues to put the back-of-the-throat crowd on their heels.
Jim