London - Banksy's 'Girl With Balloon' sold at auction for $1.4m, then self-destructs, Oct. 5, 2018

[EuTuCroquet?]

Banksy's 'Girl With Balloon' sold at auction for $1.4 million ... then self-destructs - Los Angeles Times

The spray-painted canvas "Girl With Balloon" went under the hammer at Sotheby's in London, fetching more than three times its pre-sale estimate and equaling a record price for the artist.

Then, as an alarm sounded, it ran through a shredder embedded in the frame, leaving half the canvas hanging from the bottom in strips.

A post on Banksy's official Instagram account showed the moment — and the shocked reaction of those in the room — with the words "Going, going, gone..."
​

 

[EuTuCroquet?]

'We just got Banksy-ed': balloon girl painting self-destructs at sale | Reuters

Onlookers gasped and laughed after the bottom half of “Girl with Balloon”, one of Banksy’s best-known works, was sucked into a shredder hidden in its frame as the hammer fell, auction house Sotheby’s said.

The 12-year-old painting had just been sold for 1,042,000 pounds ($1.37 million) - matching Banksy’s all-time record.

“It appears we just got Banksy-ed,” Alex Branczik, senior director and head of contemporary art, said in a statement on Sotheby’s website.​

 

[EuTuCroquet?]

LOL. The expressions on their faces in the video.

I'm not sure what to think about this, tbh.

Watch Banksy's $1.4 million painting 'self-destruct' - CNN Video

The graffiti artist's painting "Girl with a Balloon" was ripped to shreds immediately after the gavel fell at the auction house.​

 

[Really?]

Yeah, let’s see how much his next one sells for.....muahahaha

 

[Mountain Misst]

This irony appealed to my sense of humour. Good-on-ya Banksy

 

[TheCrankyChef]

I'm totally OK buying a painting at a lawn sale for a buck. I'll keep my millions earning interest.

 

[Morrisa]

I absolutely loved this . The looks on their faces!
Thank you Banksy for brightening up my day!
Just imagine if it was a Monet!

 

[Lilibet]

Why do I think that Banksy was attending the auction and remotely activated the shredder when the hammer fell? As long as no one lost any money (except Banksy) it was a hoot!

Actually, someone will probably want to buy the half-shredded painting. Win win.

 

[cybervampira]

Banksy on Instagram.

Banksy on Instagram: “. "The urge to destroy is also a creative urge" - Picasso”

 

[Bohemian]

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Why Banksy's Girl With Balloon painting could be worth more shredded than intact - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[Legally Bland]

Elusive artist Banksy has created new artwork in Birmingham, a festive-themed piece highlighting homelessness.

He highlighted it in a film posted on Instagram which shows a man named Ryan on a bench being "pulled" by two reindeer painted on a brick wall in the city's Jewellery Quarter.

[...]

The post said: "God bless Birmingham. In the 20 minutes we filmed Ryan on this bench passers-by gave him a hot drink, two chocolate bars and a lighter - without him ever asking for anything."

Festive Banksy artwork highlights homelessness

 

[Bit of hope]

Elusive artist Banksy has created new artwork in Birmingham, a festive-themed piece highlighting homelessness.

He highlighted it in a film posted on Instagram which shows a man named Ryan on a bench being "pulled" by two reindeer painted on a brick wall in the city's Jewellery Quarter.

[...]

The post said: "God bless Birmingham. In the 20 minutes we filmed Ryan on this bench passers-by gave him a hot drink, two chocolate bars and a lighter - without him ever asking for anything."

Festive Banksy artwork highlights homelessness

Wow!!! I love it!

 

[ifindedout]

LOL. The expressions on their faces in the video.

I'm not sure what to think about this, tbh.

Watch Banksy's $1.4 million painting 'self-destruct' - CNN Video

The graffiti artist's painting "Girl with a Balloon" was ripped to shreds immediately after the gavel fell at the auction house.​

The CNN video has since expired. An up-to-date version from Banksy's own YouTube channel, also showing how he "built" the painting. Short version (1:00):

Long "director's half-cut" version, from his other channel (2:57):