Breaking the Banksy!
£1m artwork shreds itself seconds after being sold – and, guess what, that’s increased its value
IT WAS one auction lot which was definitely going, going, gone.
An artwork by graffiti artist Banksy self-destructed seconds after it was sold for £1million at a London auction house.
After the 2006 painting Girl With Balloon was sold to a telephone bidder, an alarm was triggered and the work glided through a shredder concealed in the artwork’s frame.
Stunned auction-goers at Sotheby’s could only watch as the stencilled spray painting was destroyed after fetching a record price for a Banksy.
Shortly afterwards, the artist – famous for his graffiti artworks in public places – posted a photo of the shocked crowd at Sotheby’s on Instagram with the words ‘Going, going, gone...’
The painting, which shows a girl reaching towards a red balloon, is one of the most celebrated images in British art, and was the last item to be sold at the sale on Friday night.
Anny Shaw, a correspondent for The Art Newspaper who was covering the sale, said she suspected the stunt may have been an ‘inside job’ but added that Sotheby’s staff reacted with genuine shock.
She said: ‘An alarm was activated just before the moment of selfdestruction happened and that led to the speculation that there was someone in the room, possibly even Banksy.
‘I subsequently heard there had been reports of a skirmish between security staff and a man dressed in black and sunglasses exiting the building. You couldn’t make this up.’
She said the frame of the painting had appeared to be unusually thick, which should have aroused suspicion.
Banksy, who the MoS identified as former public schoolboy Robin Gunningham in 2008, posted a video yesterday providing further clues.
Before the video was swiftly taken down, the artist said: ‘A few years ago, I secretly built a shredder into a painting in case it was ever put up for auction.’
Banksy also quoted Picasso, saying: ‘The urge to destroy is also a creative urge.’
Sotheby’s refused to identify the telephone bidder. It was not clear if the sale is still valid.
Some suspect the headlinegrabbing stunt has actually increased the value of the work.
Alex Branczik, the head of contemporary art at Sotheby’s, said: ‘We have not experienced this situation in the past… we are busily figuring out what this means in an auction context.’
Others have claimed the painting’s destruction was a result of Banksy’s dislike of his art being used to make money.
The furore prompted praise from stars in the music and film worlds, including singer Katie Perry, who remarked ‘touché’, while Oscarwinning French actress Marion Cotillard wrote ‘master’.
UK Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden wrote ‘#banksy is officially the coolest, most poignant person on Earth’.
Ms Meaden added: ‘Of course it’s a publicity stunt but it’s publicising the sheer insanity of where we place our values.’
A spokeswoman for Sotheby’s added: ‘We think our auctioneer Oliver Barker described it best from the rostrum this evening: “A brilliant Banksy moment!” ’
‘The urge to destroy is also a creative urge’
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