Banksy's world-renowned shredded painting, "Love is in the Bin," has fetched $25.4 million at a Sotheby's auction, according to the auction house website.
"Love is in the Bin" made history with its creation mid-auction in 2018. The original piece, an image of a girl holding a balloon that was aptly titled "Girl With Balloon," garnered $1.4 million at auction but the crowd was shocked when a shredder built within the frame activated as soon as the sale was complete, partly shredding the piece.
It was an unforgettable moment in the art world, and the first time that a work of art had actually been created during an auction, according to Sotheby's. (source: NPR.com)
Bansky is undoubtedly one of the most legendary graffiti artists, identified as a troubadour of modern times. He is a renowned and committed artist, incisive and often amazing. Today, Banksy has a place among the great pesonalities of this world, with his subversive actions.
He loves to provoke, shock and even disturb society. Equipped with a great ability to break the rules, he also manages to hide his identity. A true mystery to date, with several active theories, such as the one that identifies him with Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack. Philanthropist, anti-war and revolutionary, he takes his art as a means of communication to loudly proclaim his dissatisfaction with certain aspects of society, certain political situations or even certain decisions taken by world leaders.
Born in principle in 1973, since 1993 his works shine on several continents. It seems he said that he doesn’t express himself at best with the usual spray can and only in 2000 did he start using more elaborate stencils. But not only: next to the stencils he’s also dedicated to paintings, sculptures, diversions of urban objects or classic works, installations. Banksy is a versatile artist. He plays and provokes. He shows some of the facets of human conditions, always elaborated with a good dose of humor. His recurring figures are monkeys, mice, policemen, children, cats and members of the royal family. (source: auralcrave.com)