Banksy paint shredded: a buyer describes his reaction when self-destroyed works are auctioned

LONDON – The winning bidder for a Banksy chart self-destroyed at an auction Last week decided to proceed with the purchase, said Thursday auctioneer Sotheby's. The auction house said that a European collector had been selected, agreeing to pay $ 1.4 million for "Girl With Balloon".

But just after the hammer fell and was shocked by those in the auction room, the lower half of the book passed through a chipper hidden in the frame. Sotheby's stated that the painting had been renamed "Love is in the trash" and authenticated by the Banksy Pest Control Agency.

The identity of the buyer was not revealed but Sotheby's quoted her as saying: "When the hammer fell last week and the work was shredded, I was shocked at first, but little by little, I began to realize that I was going to end up with my own history. "

Alex Branczik, Head of Contemporary Art for Europe at Sotheby's, states that it is "the first piece of history art to have been created live at the time." An auction ".

A message posted on Banksy's official Instagram account showed the moment when the art work was self-destructing – and the shocked reaction of those who were in the room – with the words "Going, go , gone … "

Banksy, who has never revealed his complete identity, began his career in spray painting buildings in Bristol, England, and became one of the world's best-known artists. His mischievous and often satirical images include two policemen kissing, an armed riot police with yellow smiles and a chimpanzee carrying a sign with the words "Laugh now, but someday I'll be in charge." "

"Girl With Balloon", which depicts a little child reaching out to a heart – shaped red balloon, was originally stencilled on a wall in East London and was reproduced at the same time. infinite to become one of the most well-known images of Banksy.