Going, going, gone!
A Banksy painting sold at an auction on Friday for $1.4
million, and moments after the sale it stunned auction-goers as it appeared to
self-destruct, according to NBC News.
The prank is believed to have been orchestrated by Banksy,
who shared a photo on Instagram of the spray-painted “Girl With
Balloon” canvas sliding through a shredder at the base of the painting,
surrounded by stunned onlookers.
READ: Oscar Night Holds Glamour, Mystery: Can James Franco Sing? Will Street Artist Banksy Surface?
“Going, going, gone…” Banksy wrote.
“It appears we just got Banksy-ed,” Sotheby’s
senior director Alex Branczik said, according to NBC News. ” He is arguably the greatest British
street artist, and tonight we saw a little piece of Banksy genius.”
WATCH: Lady Gaga Strips Down In Artistic Trio Of Instagram Photos
ITV news caught the viral moment on video as the photo shred
itself, causing people to audibly gasp!
Bidders left in shock as video captures the moment an item of Banksy artwork is shredded just moments after selling for more than £1 million at auction https://t.co/KloAtVKB3B pic.twitter.com/VQskc5ZrHQ
— ITV News (@itvnews) October 6, 2018
Fans of the artist quickly took to social media to share
their reactions.
“It’s so epic of Banksy to shred his painting in a careful
way that completely preserves its visual impact and makes it look even cooler.
He really stuck it to those… somebodies for… something?,” one fan
wrote on Twitter.
It's so epic of Banksy to shred his painting in a careful way that completely preserves its visual impact and makes it look even cooler. He really stuck it to those… somebodies for… something?
— Captain Disillusion (@CDisillusion) October 6, 2018
“I own so many Banksy paintings,” another person
joked, sharing a photo of a box of shredded paper.
I own so many Banksy paintings. pic.twitter.com/W7b5svnkG1
— Diane N. Sevenay (@Diane_7A) October 6, 2018
“Watch
this Banksy
piece self-destruct just moments after being auctioned for more than $1
million. The trick was using a shredder concealed within the frame. The timing
is perfect. The mayhem is spectacular. And Banksy is just
brilliant.” another person tweeted.
Watch this Banksy piece self-destruct just moments after being auctioned for more than $1 million.
The trick was using a shredder concealed within the frame.
The timing is perfect.
The mayhem is spectacular.
And Banksy is just brilliant.— Simran Jeet Singh (@SikhProf) October 6, 2018
What do you think about Banksy’s epic prank?
— Stephanie Swaim
Copyright © 2026 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.