There are so many different kinds of art out there. Whether it’s modern art or the raw and magnificent street art, it’s all really spectacular. One of the most popular British street artists definitely has to be Banksy, don’t you agree? If you’ve ever watched Exit Through The Gift Shop, you’d know the creativity and innovation Banksy applies to his work.
Recently, however, the world was shocked by one of Banksy‘s biggest pranks on Friday. During an auction held by Sotheby’s on October 5th, one of his most appreciated paintings was self-destroyed after being sold for £1 million.
One of his most iconic paintings Girl With Balloon, a spray-painted canvas created in 2006, was a few of the last ones at Sotheby’s ‘Frieze Week’ evening contemporary art sale. After two telephonic bidders competed to own this piece of art, it was finally sold at a whopping £1m. Once the hammer was struck, everyone heard an alarm go off and the painting shredded itself. Forcing Sotheby’s head of contemporary art in Europe, Alex Branczik, to say “We’ve been Banksy-ed,” at the conference later that day.
Banksy posted a picture of the painting being shredded and the caption read “Going, going, gone…” He also later posted a video on his Instagram account that began with the caption that said “A few years ago, I secretly built a shredder into a painting. In case it was ever put up for auction.” And it continues with the painting being auctioned and finally sold only to be self-destroyed leaving everybody stunned. The caption he gave this video was “The urge to destroy is also a creative urge”- Picasso.
We thought his this move was genius. We wonder if this was his first step to destroy capitalism. What do you think? Tell us in the comments below!
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