There is only one Banksy

…even if Banksy is ‘more than one person’. I started to enjoy and get interested in Street Art about ten years ago when I was out travelling. Since then I have collected Street Art pictured and I have also posted my ‘StreetArt-of-the-Day’ every day on Twitter the last 5 years.

The king of Street Art is Banksy, an anonymous England-based street artist, vandal, political activist, and film director. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humour with graffiti executed in a distinctive stenciling technique. His works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls, and bridges of cities throughout the world. Banksy’s work grew out of the Bristol underground scene, which involved collaborations between artists and musicians.

The original StreetArt painting

Banksy displays his art on publicly visible surfaces such as walls and self-built physical prop pieces. Banksy does not sell photographs or reproductions of his street graffiti, but art auctioneers have been known to attempt to sell his street art on location and leave the problem of its removal in the hands of the winning bidder.

Now Banksy has performed this year’s art coup in London. One of his famous motifs was clubed at an auction.

The Sotheby version

Shortly thereafter, the image began to be shredded in a paper shredder, which was built into the bottom of the frame. The painting that kust been bought at Sothebys for 1 million GBP, self destroyed.

When the last bid was climbed, the artwork began to stir in astonished spectators. The artpaper was automatically shredded slowly through a built-in document shredder in the bottom edge of the frame.

Soon afterwards Banksy posted an image of Instagram with the text “Going, going, gone”.

It seems like we have become ‘Banksyd’, said Alex Branczik, Head of Sotheby’s Department of Modern European Art.

It is unclear whether the joke has ruined or increased the value of the artwork.

To Financial Times the auction firm stated that discussions are taking place between them and the buyer, whose name he would not disclose.

This is so Banksy.

You can watch the shredding here: Banksy picture shredded