London - After Being Sold For $1.4 Million, Banksy Painting Self-Destructs

Everyone was visibly shocked at what they’d witnessed, but on second thought, nothing was unexpected as the artist has been known for pulling all sort of stunts. At the Sotheby’s auction house in London on Friday, a Banksy painting self-destructed immediately after being sold for $1.4 million.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Banksy, the anonymous U.K.-based street artist best known for his public stunts, is back at it, and this time he’s taken aim at the ever-inflating art world. <a href="https://t.co/08kc2LQzMT">https://t.co/08kc2LQzMT</a></p>&mdash; Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) <a href="https://twitter.com/voguemagazine/status/1048593002099347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Some experts and observers claim this to be Banksy’s most perfect art world prank.

Just after the gavel fell during the auction, Banksy’s Girl With Balloon was reduced to shreds- another stunt in the disruptive career of the anonymous British graffiti artist.

Sotheby's shared in a news release how the iconic image of a girl reaching out for a red, heart-shaped balloon self-destructed after being sold for $1.4 million. A shredder hidden inside the “artist’s frame” is the culprit behind the shocking but not entirely unexpected destruction.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bidders left in shock as video captures the moment an item of Banksy artwork is shredded just moments after selling for more than £1 million at auction <a href="https://t.co/KloAtVKB3B">https://t.co/KloAtVKB3B</a> <a href="https://t.co/VQskc5ZrHQ">pic.twitter.com/VQskc5ZrHQ</a></p>&mdash; ITV News (@itvnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/itvnews/status/1048602629864079361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Irreverent as always, Banksy turned to social media to sum up his stunt by posting this quote on his Instagram account: “Going, going, gone…”

Banksy also posted a photo showing the stunned look of guests and spectators as the shredded art emerged from the bottom of the frame.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">EXCLUSIVE : Banksy tells <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/C4News?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#C4News</a> &quot;The urge to destroy is also a creative urge&quot; - after the shredding of his £1 million work last night at auction</p>&mdash; Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) <a href="https://twitter.com/krishgm/status/1048622137957920769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Alex Branczik, the senior director of contemporary art of Sotheby seems ready to simply shrug it off as he posted: “It appears we just got Banksy-ed.”

The auction price of $1.4 million tied the artist’s previous record set ten years ago.

It remains a puzzle, however, as to how exactly the shredder started operating at that crucial moment after the auction. One possibility is that it could have been activated by remote control.

It is not clear how the winner of the auction reacted to the destruction of the prized piece of art, although there is speculation that the value art has doubled following the spectacle.

People took to social media to share their various reactions to the event.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Not a prank. It’s fraud</p>&mdash; Don Masch (@dmasc) <a href="https://twitter.com/dmasc/status/1048619656410361856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My guess is it’s worth double that now</p>&mdash; J. Walsh (@jwalsh_photos) <a href="https://twitter.com/jwalsh_photos/status/1048596880697905153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">bloody hell</p>&mdash; Maury™️ (@mauryfher) <a href="https://twitter.com/mauryfher/status/1048597784398614529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Really? $5 at a yard sale…</p>&mdash; Richierich (@RogowskiRichard) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogowskiRichard/status/1048598684445921280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="lt" dir="ltr">Genius!</p>&mdash; Carlos (@akaCarioca) <a href="https://twitter.com/akaCarioca/status/1048598386696507395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Source:

https://ktla.com/2018/10/06/banksy-painting-self-destructs-immediately-after-being-sold-for-1-4-million/