Girl With Balloon, a well-known Banksy artwork, was the last lot in an auction at Sotheby’s in London on October 5. Shortly after selling for £1.04m, the canvas went through a secret shredder embedded in the frame. Sotheby’s says it is in discussion with the purchaser.
“Balloon Girl,” depicts a young girl reaching for a red heart-shaped balloon that has blown away and first appeared in London in 2002. Since then Bansky has reimagined it for several political causes including support for Syrian refugees and against the Conservative party in the UK’s 2017 election. It was voted the UK’s best-loved work of art in 2017.
For another Banksy video see post on antiquesandartireland.com for February 28, 2015.