Anonymous graffiti artist Banksy has released a video clip demonstrating how he built a secret shredder into the frame of a painting that self-destructed on Friday after being sold for more than £1.04 million ($1.36 million).
"A few years ago I secretly built a shredder into a painting," text on the screen in the short clip explains. It then shows the artists hands as they attach what appear to be metal razor blades to the inside of the wooden frame. "In case it was ever put up for auction …" the text reads after the brief demonstration.
It then cuts to footage of the auction at Sotheby's in London. The auction house was selling the painting, the 2006 stencilled spray-painting "Girl With Balloon." But as soon as the sale was complete, the painting moved downward, shredding itself through the frame.
Sharing the video on Instagram, the artist included the caption: "'The urge to destroy is also a creative urge' - Picasso."
"It appears we just got Banksy-ed," Alex Branczik, Sotheby's senior director and head of contemporary art in Europe, said, according to the BBC.
John Brandler, director of Brandler Art Galleries, told the BBC that Banksy is "the ultimate publicity artist," calling the stunt "absolutely brilliant."
MyArtBroker.com co-founder Joey Syer told The Guardian that Banksy works of art are increasing in value, year after year. "Prices now are regularly exceeding £115,000 ($150,937) for signed authenticated prints," he said.
Syer also said the buyer shouldn't be disappointed, as the piece of art is now worth even more.
"The auction result will only propel this further and given the media attention this stunt has received, the lucky buyer would see a great return on the £1.02 million they paid," he said. "This is now part of art history in its shredded state and we'd estimate Banksy has added at a minimum 50 percent to its value, possibly as high as being worth £2 million plus."
Sotheby's has not revealed the identity of the buyer however, and it remains unclear whether the sale was officially finalized after the stunt, according to the BBC.
Branczik told Financial Times that the auction house is still trying to fully understand the incident.
"We have not experienced this situation in the past … where a painting spontaneously shredded, upon achieving a [near-]record for the artist," he said "We are busily figuring out what this means in an auction context."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jason Lemon is a Weekend Editor at Newsweek based in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to taking on the editor role, Jason's reporting focused on ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
