A work by British street artist Banksy that sensationally self-shredded just after it sold at auction three years ago fetched almost 18.6 million pounds ($25.4 million) on Thursday B次元官网网址� a record for the artist, and close to 20 times its pre-shredded price.
B次元官网网址淟ove is in the BinB次元官网网址� was offered by SothebyB次元官网网址檚 in London, with a presale estimate of 4 million pounds to 6 million pounds ($5.5 million to $8.2 million).
After a 10-minute bidding war involving nine bidders in the saleroom, online and by phone, it sold for three times the high estimate. The sale price of 18,582,000 pounds ($25,383,941) includes a sales tax known as a buyerB次元官网网址檚 premium.
The piece consists of a half-shredded canvas in an ornate frame bearing a spray-painted image of a girl reaching for a heart-shaped red balloon.
When it last sold at SothebyB次元官网网址檚 in October 2018, the piece was known as B次元官网网址淕irl With Balloon.B次元官网网址� Just as an anonymous European buyer made the winning bid B次元官网网址� for 1 million pounds ($1.4 million) B次元官网网址� a hidden shredder embedded in the frame by Banksy whirred to life, leaving half the canvas hanging from the frame in strips.
SothebyB次元官网网址檚 received some criticism at the time for failing to spot the hidden shredder. But the 2018 buyer decided to go through with the purchase, a decision that was vindicated on Thursday as the workB次元官网网址檚 price soared.
The work quickly became one of BanksyB次元官网网址檚 most famous, and SothebyB次元官网网址檚 sent it on tour to cities including New York and Hong Kong before ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 auction.
Alex Branczik. SothebyB次元官网网址檚 chairman of modern and contemporary art, called the shredding B次元官网网址渙ne of the most ingenious moments of performance art this century.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t has been a whirlwind to follow the journey of this now legendary piece and to have it back in our midst, offering it tonight in the very room it was created by the artist,B次元官网网址� Branczik said. B次元官网网址淏anksy is no stranger to making headlines and this latest chapter in his story has captured imaginations across the world B次元官网网址� we can only begin to guess what might come next.B次元官网网址�
Banksy, who has never confirmed his full identity, began his career spray-painting buildings in Bristol, England, and has become one of the worldB次元官网网址檚 best-known artists. His mischievous and often satirical images include two male police officers kissing, armed riot police with yellow smiley faces and a chimpanzee with a sign bearing the words, B次元官网网址淟augh now, but one day IB次元官网网址檒l be in charge.B次元官网网址�
Several of his works have sold for multiple millions at auction. In March, a Banksy mural honoring BritainB次元官网网址檚 health workers, first painted on a hospital wall, sold for 16.8 million pounds ($23.2 million) at a ChristieB次元官网网址檚 auction, until Thursday a record for the artist.
B次元官网网址淕irl With BalloonB次元官网网址� was originally stenciled on a wall in east London and has been endlessly reproduced, becoming one of BanksyB次元官网网址檚 best-known images.
B次元官网网址擩ill Lawless, The Associated Press
