# Painting self destructs right after sale **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 6, 2018, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566 "2018-10-06T15:50:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/61 "2018-10-09T04:32:46Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I smell a rat. A rat in police uniform, holding a bunch of flowers? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/62 "2018-10-09T07:18:21Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > A rat in police uniform, holding a bunch of flowers? Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/63 "2018-10-09T12:18:07Z")
> [@wahsahzii](#): > > Magic Christian, he has seen it. To be fair, it _was_ a very fine nose. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/64 "2018-10-09T15:03:46Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I like this analysis, and I appreciate your sly artistic construction, in which your comment on performance art is, itself, contained within a lovely little piece of performative prose. > > You have a whimsical, one might even say magical ability to create posts that seem, on their surface, to be little more than a series of disconnected and trite observations, but that, when viewed as a whole, transcend the banality of the specific and produce a deep, comtemplative view of the world. **mhendo** , I just want to let you know how much I enjoyed this post. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/65 "2018-10-11T21:29:33Z")
> [@](#): > > The buyer of the Banksy print that was partially shredded immediately after its auction will go ahead with the £1m purchase amid claims that its value will have significantly increased following the self-destruction. > **[Woman who bought shredded Banksy artwork will go through with purchase](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/oct/11/woman-who-bought-shredded-banksy-artwork-will-go-through-with-sale)** > > Buyer of Girl With Balloon, who paid £1.04m for work, says she has her ‘own piece of art history’ ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/66 "2018-10-11T21:46:08Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > And be real - girl reaching for balloon? The only reason that was selling for more than the value of the frame was it was **Bansky** … Ignorance fought – I just found out five minutes ago that his/her name is not “Ban **SK** y” but “Ban **KS** y”. I’ve heard the name said aloud a few times, always as _BAN-skee_ and never as _BANK-see_. Even by people very deeply immersed in the art scene who you think would be sticklers about the proper pronunciation. :shrug: **DSeid** , please don’t take my post the wrong way. Even knowing it’s “Banksy” … I’ll never not see “Bansky” in the future. I’m right there with you – “Bansky” just looks and sounds totally right despite it’s “wrongness”. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/67 "2018-10-11T22:06:56Z")
I always assumed his name was a bit of mockery of banks, myself. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/68 "2018-10-11T22:36:07Z")
I’ve always pronounced it as Bank-see. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/69 "2018-10-12T02:45:28Z")
My ignorance reduced. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/70 "2018-10-12T21:17:17Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > How exactly does the shredder work when the blades are turned sideways? Do you think you could lower canvas or paper onto an xacto blade and have it cut cleanly? Did you notice how the flat painting suddenly appeared curled as it “went through” the shredder? > > There was no shredder. There was a shredded version of the painting rolled up into the frame that lowered as the painting was rolled up onto it’s own spool. Dollars to donuts someone at Sotheby’s knew about the trick frame and made damn sure it was going to work on cue. The misdirection hypothesis, which I support, is presented in greater detail [here](https://www.boredpanda.com/banksy-painting-girl-with-balloon-shredded-auction-theory/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=BPTwitter), with pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/71 "2018-10-12T22:51:32Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > The misdirection hypothesis, which I support, is presented in greater detail [here](https://www.boredpanda.com/banksy-painting-girl-with-balloon-shredded-auction-theory/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=BPTwitter), with pictures. Presuming the x-actos to be the actual, functional element then I would concur that it’s probably a prop and the painting is still there. So much for Banksy being an anti-Capitalist artiste. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/72 "2018-10-12T22:53:16Z")
Partway through that page, there’s a [link](https://imgur.com/gallery/J0G6XIX) to a video showing a tiny version of the trick. I’m convinced that the whole thing was a fake-out. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/73 "2018-10-14T18:16:17Z")
I’ve read that boredpanda article and I agree with the author’s conclusions. The original painting is probably intact inside the frame. The most likely scenario is that the “shredding” mechanism was installed recently, and that those involved in the auction were in on the stunt. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/74 "2018-10-14T18:38:39Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > The misdirection hypothesis, which I support… > [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > …I would concur that it’s probably a prop and the painting is still there. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > …I’m convinced that the whole thing was a fake-out. > [@Tangent](#): > > …The original painting is probably intact inside the frame… I’m puzzled as to why you’d think this, unless it’s solely because it would be logistically hard to shred the painting. Some commentators are heralding the shredding as the greatest work of art of the early 21st century. If you’re considering Banksy’s artistic reputation or any economic incentive, it would be disastrous if it were to turn out that the shredding didn’t happen. It’s worth _far_ more shredded. Although, since Banksy can do no wrong, perhaps they’d then herald the non-shredding as the ultimate act of meta-iconoclasm. Sotheby’s thought they were in on it because he told them he was going to shred it, Sotheby’s thought the shredding was real, _but it wasn’t_. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/75 "2018-10-14T19:08:59Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I’m puzzled as to why you’d think this, unless it’s solely because it would be logistically hard to shred the painting. I think it didn’t truly shred for the reasons described in the article linked above. The “shredder” as depicted in Banksy’s video just wouldn’t work. > [@](#): > > Some commentators are heralding the shredding as the greatest work of art of the early 21st century. If you’re considering Banksy’s artistic reputation or any economic incentive, it would be disastrous if it were to turn out that the shredding didn’t happen. It’s worth _far_ more shredded. I disagree. It’s worth more now because of the event where it _appeared_ to be shredded and the subsequent attention generated by the story. Whether the original painting is actually shredded or not isn’t as important as the fact that, at least for a while, everyone thought it was. As with many things Banksy, the work of art is not just the painting itself, it’s also the story of the painting. And if the shredding itself was actually a hoax, then, yeah, that makes the story even richer. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/76 "2018-10-15T00:29:14Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I’m puzzled as to why you’d think this, unless it’s solely because it would be logistically hard to shred the painting. Some commentators are heralding the shredding as the greatest work of art of the early 21st century. If you’re considering Banksy’s artistic reputation or any economic incentive, it would be disastrous if it were to turn out that the shredding didn’t happen. It’s worth _far_ more shredded. Because I think the double fake-out is funnier. Artistic integrity? Banksy?? He’s a prankster, and a double prank would only reinforce his reputation. Plus, the buyer has no reason to feel ripped off now. Nor would they sue. They’ll laugh their way to the bank, like Southby’s and the original creator. They got what they paid for, in full, plus a bonus. Importantly, there is no risk to Southby’s reputation either, despite evidence that they cooperated with the artist. All technical limitations can be overcome if Southby’s is in on the prank. But no level of cooperation will make the shredder pictured in Banksy’s instagram operable. Amateurs (and con artists) prank art buyers. Professionals prank the media. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/77 "2019-02-05T01:02:57Z")
The [news](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47123606) is, only now has the museum thought to de-activate the shredder! > [@](#): > > The museum wanted to prevent the rest of the artwork being destroyed. > > Henning Schaper, the director of Frieder Burda de Baden-Baden Museum in South West Germany, said they wanted to avoid a visitor setting off the shredder. > > “We have opened the frame, we have all looked and we have seen that the mechanism has been deactivated,” he said. > > In front of press and photographers, white-gloved museum workers “slowly and cautiously” took apart the canvas on Monday afternoon to deactivate the device, before replacing the painting on the wall. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/78 "2019-02-05T10:54:15Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > The [news](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47123606) is, only now has the museum thought to de-activate the shredder! According to that article it’s now being claimed that the intent was for the painting to be totally shredded but something went wrong. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/79 "2019-02-05T12:51:58Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > According to that article it’s now being claimed that the intent was for the painting to be totally shredded but something went wrong. Interesting. I could have sworn I read that back when the news initially happened. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566/80 "2019-02-05T21:29:17Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I could have sworn I read that back when the news initially happened. Banksy supposedly said as much. The final state of the painting was intended to be an empty frame, with the shreds in a bin below (“In rehearsals it worked every time…”) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vxkwRNIZgdY/maxresdefault.jpg "Shredding the Girl and Balloon - The Director’s half cut") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxkwRNIZgdY) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/painting-self-destructs-right-after-sale/822566.md?page=3)