However, in a twist to be expected from street art’s most subversive character, the canvas suddenly passed through a shredder installed in the frame.Posting a picture of the moment on Instagram, Banksy wrote: “Going, going, gone…” The 2006 piece was shown dangling in pieces from the bottom of the frame. Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s senior director and head of contemporary art in Europe, said: “It appears we just got Banksy-ed.” Joey Syer, co-founder of the website MyArtBroker.com that resells Banksy pieces, said the Girl with Ballon had been increasing in value by about 20 per cent in recent years – with the most recent stunt doubling its worth.
He said: “Prices now are regularly exceeding £115,000 for signed authenticated prints. The auction result will only propel this further and given the media attention this stunt has received, the lucky buyer would see a great return on the £1.02m they paid last night. This is now part of art history in its shredded state and we’d estimate Banksy has added at a minimum 50% to its value, possibly as high as being worth £2m plus.” Banksy is a Bristol-born artist whose true identity – despite rampant speculation – has never been officially revealed. He came to prominence through a series of graffiti pieces that appeared on buildings across the country, marked by deeply satirical undertones. Friday’s self-destruction was the latest in a long history of anti-establishment statements by the street artist.
Photo Credit: Getty
