Notorious artist Banksy one-upped himself at the recent auction of one of his artworks, when Girl With Balloon self-destructed after it was sold for $1.9 million.
Onlookers at Sotheby’s watched in shock as the painting shredded itself immediately after the sale, and much like Banksy’s identity, there are plenty of questions and confusion as to what happens from hereon in. A video posted by the artist has demonstrated how he fit a shredder into the painting years ago, accompanied by further footage of the auction itself. This has prompted many to believe that Banksy was there, front and centre to witness the headline-snatching event.
“We’ve just been Banksy’ed,” Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s European head of contemporary art, said. “We have not experienced this situation in the past… where a painting spontaneously shredded, upon achieving a [near-]record for the artist. We are busily figuring out what this means in an auction context.”
With Branczik calling the stunt “a little piece of Banksy genius,” there is also speculation that the shredded artwork will be worth much, much more now – which might be Banksy’s greatest masterstroke yet. Watch it all below:
