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| Banksy posts video of £1m painting shredding stunt at Sotheby's | Banksy posts video of £1m painting shredding stunt at Sotheby's |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Banksy has released a video showing how he secretly built a shredder into one of his paintings that self-destructed after it was sold for more than £1m. | Banksy has released a video showing how he secretly built a shredder into one of his paintings that self-destructed after it was sold for more than £1m. |
| The framed Girl With Balloon, one of the artist's best known works, was auctioned by Sotheby's in London. | The framed Girl With Balloon, one of the artist's best known works, was auctioned by Sotheby's in London. |
| Moments after the piece was sold, the canvas of a girl reaching for a heart-shaped balloon shredded itself. | Moments after the piece was sold, the canvas of a girl reaching for a heart-shaped balloon shredded itself. |
| Quoting Picasso on his Instagram, Banksy wrote: "The urge to destroy is also a creative urge - Picasso." | Quoting Picasso on his Instagram, Banksy wrote: "The urge to destroy is also a creative urge - Picasso." |
| The clip starts with a caption, saying: "A few years ago, I secretly built a shredder into a painting." | The clip starts with a caption, saying: "A few years ago, I secretly built a shredder into a painting." |
| The video then shows someone in a hoodie installing the device, before another caption, saying: "In case it was ever put up for auction." | The video then shows someone in a hoodie installing the device, before another caption, saying: "In case it was ever put up for auction." |
| The video then shows the moment the painting shredded itself at the auction house on Friday, captured on a mobile phone. | The video then shows the moment the painting shredded itself at the auction house on Friday, captured on a mobile phone. |
| It is unclear how the shredder was activated. | |
| 'We just got Banksy-ed' | 'We just got Banksy-ed' |
| Moments before, the 2006 stencilled spray-painting had sold for £1.042m. | Moments before, the 2006 stencilled spray-painting had sold for £1.042m. |
| "It appears we just got Banksy-ed," said Alex Branczik, Sotheby's senior director and head of contemporary art in Europe. | "It appears we just got Banksy-ed," said Alex Branczik, Sotheby's senior director and head of contemporary art in Europe. |
| Earlier, Banksy posted a picture of the moment it happened on his Instagram, with the words: "Going, going, gone..." | Earlier, Banksy posted a picture of the moment it happened on his Instagram, with the words: "Going, going, gone..." |
| John Brandler, director of Brandler Art Galleries, described Banksy as "the ultimate publicity artist" and said the stunt was "absolutely brilliant". | John Brandler, director of Brandler Art Galleries, described Banksy as "the ultimate publicity artist" and said the stunt was "absolutely brilliant". |
| "He has made Damien Hirst look like an amateur," Mr Brandler said. | "He has made Damien Hirst look like an amateur," Mr Brandler said. |
| Banksy rose to prominence through a series of graffiti pieces across the country. | Banksy rose to prominence through a series of graffiti pieces across the country. |
| The enigmatic artist is thought to have grown up in Bristol, but his identity has remained a secret despite much speculation over the years. | The enigmatic artist is thought to have grown up in Bristol, but his identity has remained a secret despite much speculation over the years. |
| Among his recent works was the 2015 opening of Dismaland, a Disneyland-esque attraction at a lido in Weston-super-Mare, which he described as a "family theme park unsuitable for children". | Among his recent works was the 2015 opening of Dismaland, a Disneyland-esque attraction at a lido in Weston-super-Mare, which he described as a "family theme park unsuitable for children". |
| In 2017, Girl With Balloon, which originally appeared on a wall in Great Eastern Street, London, was voted the nation's favourite artwork. | In 2017, Girl With Balloon, which originally appeared on a wall in Great Eastern Street, London, was voted the nation's favourite artwork. |
| The gallery version featured spray paint and acrylic on canvas, mounted on a board. | The gallery version featured spray paint and acrylic on canvas, mounted on a board. |
| Does the buyer still have to pay? | Does the buyer still have to pay? |
| Sotheby's has not revealed who bought the piece before it was shredded. | Sotheby's has not revealed who bought the piece before it was shredded. |
| At the moment it is unclear whether their contract still stands. | At the moment it is unclear whether their contract still stands. |
| Mr Branczik told the Financial Times the auction house was trying to "figure out" what the stunt means. | Mr Branczik told the Financial Times the auction house was trying to "figure out" what the stunt means. |
| He said: "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 have not experienced this situation in the past ...where a painting spontaneously shredded, upon achieving a [near-]record for the artist. |
| "We are busily figuring out what this means in an auction context." | "We are busily figuring out what this means in an auction context." |
| Will it be worth more now, or is it ruined? | Will it be worth more now, or is it ruined? |
| Opinion is split. | Opinion is split. |
| Some social media posters have speculated that the prank could have actually caused the artwork to increase in value. | Some social media posters have speculated that the prank could have actually caused the artwork to increase in value. |
| However, others have questioned whether the buyer would still have to pay for it - or would even want to. | However, others have questioned whether the buyer would still have to pay for it - or would even want to. |
| Mr Brandler said the more publicity works of art get, the pricier they tend to become. | Mr Brandler said the more publicity works of art get, the pricier they tend to become. |
| "It was the best publicity stunt he [Banksy] could think of," he said. | "It was the best publicity stunt he [Banksy] could think of," he said. |
| Was it all just a hoax? | Was it all just a hoax? |
| There have been some suggestions Sotheby's may have been in on the stunt. | There have been some suggestions Sotheby's may have been in on the stunt. |
| However, there has been no confirmation of that from the auction house. | However, there has been no confirmation of that from the auction house. |
| In a statement on its website, it described the incident as "unexpected" and said it had become "instant art world history". | In a statement on its website, it described the incident as "unexpected" and said it had become "instant art world history". |
| The mystery continues. | The mystery continues. |
| You may also like: | You may also like: |
| Were you in Sotheby's in London when Banksy's artwork shredded itself? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your pictures, videos and experiences. | Were you in Sotheby's in London when Banksy's artwork shredded itself? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your pictures, videos and experiences. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |