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

[marble falls]

Banksy Painting Self-Destructs Immediately After Being Sold For $1.4 Million
The “Girl With Balloon” painting passed through a shredder hidden in the frame.

By Hilary Hanson

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Someone purchased an iconic Banksy painting for $1.4 million on Friday, only to watch it immediately turn to shreds.

Moments after the gavel came down on the sale of the enigmatic artist’s “Girl With Balloon” painting at Sotheby’s auction house in London, the painting passed through a shredder that had apparently been hidden in the frame. The painting only went partially through the shredder. leaving half a painting intact and half shredded at the bottom, according to The Associated Press.

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“It appears we just got Banksy-ed,” Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s senior director, said in a press release from the auction house.

Banksy, the world-famous artist whose identity is still a mystery, posted a photo of the shocking moment on Instagram, captioning the image, “Going, going, gone...”

He also posted a video confirming that he had secretly built a shredder into the painting, “in case it was ever put up for auction.” He captioned the post, “‘The urge to destroy is also a creative urge’ - Picasso.”

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While the moment would likely be a disappointment if the buyer was planning to display the painting, The Guardian noted that the historic stunt could potentially have increased the artwork’s value. As Sotheby’s noted, the incident “certainly marks the first time in auction history that a work of art automatically shredded itself after coming under the hammer.”

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[marble falls]

1. Michail Bakunin an anarchist writer said "the urge to destroy is a creative urge."

[FormerOstrich]

2. I have read a bunch of articles

on this but not a one explains how the shredder was powered and operated.

What triggered the shredder to start? He built in the shredder in case the art was auctioned but presumably battery power would eventually wane. Was it remote control?

I don't understand how the plan was executed.

[patricia92243]

3. Something is fishy here. Time will tell.

[marble falls]

6. It doesn't matter. That piece will be worth bigger money no matter who did what to ...

whom or what with what.

Smart comment on art in particular. Investment grade art.

There's no way to repeat this. Disappearing ink? Explosive frame?

This is going to raise its value. How would anyone know if there was a chance of that if the device jammed, it won't kick in and process the rest of the painting? Is that part of the statement. This is brilliant and it sure is art. Good art.

[grantcart]

4. Presumably remote control which has led internet sleuths to try and identify

Everyone in the room to figure out which one is Banksy.

[smirkymonkey]

5. Heh, Heh! Neat trick!

You've been Banksy-ed!