The news went around the world in record time. Banksy, the mysterious and world-famous street artist from Bristol carried out his "masterpiece": destroying one of his paintings just seconds after it was auctioned for a million pounds. On his official Instagram profile, the artist explained part of the trick: a paper shredder hidden in the frame. However, the eyes and minds of the Web doubt Banksy's official account. On one hand, the shredder blades are not in the correct position. On the other, the painting is from 2006, so its batteries lasted twelve years…
Last Friday night, Sotheby's was preparing to present the last item of its auction. The item in question was "Girl With Balloon", one of the most recognized works by the unmistakable street artist Banksy. The enthusiasm was noticeable, and after several exchanges, the hammer fell marking £1,042,000. Everything seemed to end there... but drowned in applause, an alarm began to sound in the painting. Two seconds later, the painting slid down, and appeared below the frame, completely cut into strips.
Banksy: A Night of Trolling in London
The extra touch? The painting stopped halfway, getting caught. The main room of Sotheby's became a mix of laughter, looks of amazement, and worried faces. Banksy's latest action was done: "Girl With Balloon" had the ability to self-destruct, and it did. The question is: How?
The artist himself took care of explaining the trick... or at least, that's his version. Several years ago, Banksy built a paper shredder inside the frame, in case it was auctioned. The video lasts just a minute, and there aren't many technical details, but something was rescued. We can see a row of blades, and what appears to be a huge pack of batteries. That raises a new question: What kind of batteries? Girl With Balloon is from 2006. If Banksy built the frame and the shredder in the same period, how did they keep their charge for so long?
Banksy's Batteries: Magic or Something More?
The firmest hypothesis is that Banksy used alkaline batteries. Conventional brands guarantee ten years of storage, so two more years doesn't sound so crazy. However, other factors come into play. Any wireless receiver would simply drain the batteries, and only a physical switch (activated at the last moment by an accomplice of Banksy) could prevent that. Then there are the blades: Their angle isn't correct. Did Banksy show us just a beta of his destructive painting, or are there missing pieces in the puzzle?
The Web has explored very interesting alternatives. The painting was already cut. A shredded copy came out from below and the original is intact. Personally, I would like Banksy to share more details about his trick, with some emphasis on the batteries. But the rest of the public has another doubt: Does the painting now worth more?
Ah, by the way: They've already turned it into an online app/meme. Click here to add your images and see them get cut on the screen.
(Editor's note: Didn't anyone think to check the frame before the auction? Didn't they pass the painting through a scanner? Security at Sotheby's leaves much to be desired...)
Sotheby's
