The artist Banksy is well known for his controversial works of art and stunts, such as adding a painting at the Tate Britain in 2003, installing his own rendition of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in 2004, and smuggling his “Peckham Rock” into the British Museum, to name a few.
Banksy made headlines again in 2018 when one of his most famous pieces, Girl with Balloon, was sold for over $1M … and then began self-destructing by shredding the painting as soon as the auction was complete. Viewers were horrified and baffled.
Did Banksy really shred his own artwork? Why? What did it mean? The artist himself poked fun at the stunt on his Instagram account.
He also posted a video of the shredding with a quote from Pablo Picasso: “The urge to destroy is also a creative urge.”
There were many skeptics, calling the shredding a hoax, meticulously detailing how the prank was a separate prank in itself. Regardless, this piece is undoubtedly worth even more now. Whether you’re a fan or not, Banksy never fails to surprise us!