The anonymous graffiti artist known as Banksy is perhaps the most controversial street artist of today. He is famous for his stenciled graffiti works, which appear in public spaces around the world. At the recent Contemporary Art Auction held by Sotheby's Auction House in London, Banksy once again caused a stir in the art world - he shredded one of his most recognized works.
As the packed saleroom looked on, the final lot of the sale Banksys Girl with Balloon was in the midst of an intense bidding battle from buyers in the room and on the phones, ultimately selling for $1.4 million, tying the artists previous record set in 2008.Seconds after the hammer fell, part of the canvas passed through a hidden shredder.
"Banksy didn't destroy an artwork in the auction, he created one," Alex Branczik, Sotheby's Head of Contemporary Art, Europe, said in a statement, calling it "the first artwork in history to have been created live during an auction."
The buyer, a female European collector and a long-standing client of Sothebys, commented,When the hammer came down last week and the work was shredded, I was at first shocked, but gradually I began to realize that I would end up with my own piece of art history. She has confirmed the sale willproceed at the same price as was achieved in the room on the night.
The new work has been given the title,Love in the Bin.Banksyposted on his Instagramshortly after the event, showing how he installed a shredder in the frame, and the stunned reactions of auction attendees.
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