Banksy, an anonymous British street artist known for his satirical political art, has gained a lot of power in the art world. One of his most famous paintings, “Girl with Balloon,” was set to be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London on October 5, 2018.
The image, which was originally a graffiti spray painted on a wall in London was recreated on a canvas in a frame that had a hidden shredder in it. This painting was auctioned in Sotheby’s in London for 1.4 million US Dollars. As soon as the painting was auctioned, the shredder began shredding the image, leaving half of the artwork destroyed.
You can watch a video of it happening here.
Although Banksy’s plan was to have his painting completely destroyed, surprise and confusion covered the faces of the audience at Sotheby’s as it began being shredded and the frame was taken down. Banksy is known for sending messages through his mysterious actions which makes him one of the most sought out artists today.