Self-Shredding Banksy Painting Featured in German Exhibition, Reports Reuters

BADEN-BADEN, Germany (Reuters) – “Love is in the Bin,” the artwork by graffiti artist Banksy that famously shredded itself live after being sold at auction last year, is now on display at a museum in Germany. Museum officials ensured that the shredding mechanism is no longer operational.

Originally auctioned as “Girl with Balloon,” this iconic image of a young girl clutching a heart-shaped red balloon has become one of Banksy’s most well-known pieces since its debut on London’s Waterloo Bridge in 2002.

Immediately after the auctioneer’s gavel fell, a hidden mechanism within the frame activated, shredding half of the painting, which had sold for over a million pounds.

Museum director Henning Schaper expressed concern about the possibility of the artwork shredding further while in their possession. “We opened the frame and found the shredder machinery, the battery holders, and the wires. We wanted to ensure that the batteries had been removed and the wires cut,” he stated, after curators carefully hung the piece in its new setting.

The anonymous European art collector who purchased the work proceeded with the transaction and has lent it to the Frieder Burda Museum in Baden-Baden for a month.

The museum has decided not to charge visitors for viewing the painting. Schaper noted that since Banksy supports the democratization of art and is known as a street artist, it would be inappropriate to impose an admission fee. “We wanted to align with his philosophy by displaying the artwork in a space where people can access it freely and engage in a critical discussion about the art market,” he added.

The painting will be on exhibit in Baden-Baden until March 3, after which it will move to the Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart, which will also offer free admission for viewing.