“Girl With Balloon,” a painting by the Banksy, was destroyed Friday at a Sotheby’s auction in London in an apparent prank by the anonymous and mischievous artist.

A gallery assistant poses with 'Girl with Balloon' 2006 artwork by Banksy at Lazinc Gallery in London on July 11, 2018. (© Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images)
Immediately after the painting had been sold to a phone bidder for 1.04 million pounds ($1.2 million), part of it was mysteriously shredded, according to Sotheby’s.
“We’ve just been Banksy’ed,” Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s European head of contemporary art, said at a press conference following the auction. The Financial Times reported the painting was shredded by a contraption that seemed to be hidden in the frame.
Banksy, who made his reputation as a street artist known for provocative and sometimes politically charged stencils, protects his identity. His art has appeared unannounced on city walls around the world, helping to create strong demand for his images.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ion/ar-BBO0Jhy
A gallery assistant poses with 'Girl with Balloon' 2006 artwork by Banksy at Lazinc Gallery in London on July 11, 2018. (© Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images)
Immediately after the painting had been sold to a phone bidder for 1.04 million pounds ($1.2 million), part of it was mysteriously shredded, according to Sotheby’s.
“We’ve just been Banksy’ed,” Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s European head of contemporary art, said at a press conference following the auction. The Financial Times reported the painting was shredded by a contraption that seemed to be hidden in the frame.
Banksy, who made his reputation as a street artist known for provocative and sometimes politically charged stencils, protects his identity. His art has appeared unannounced on city walls around the world, helping to create strong demand for his images.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ion/ar-BBO0Jhy
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