Dealers and curators of Banksy artworks, Andipa in Knightsbridge, London are releasing six versions of the famous ‘Girl with Balloon’ subject in celebration of Banksy’s most popular artworks of the same theme, the Love is in the Bin, famously shredded while being auctioned at Sotheby’s in 2018.
The Sotheby's Girl with Balloon (2006) , later renamed Love is in the Bin , sold for just over £1m in 2018 on an estimate of £300,000 to £400,000. Its estimate this time around is £4m — £6m, however, it is expected to sell in excess of that when it goes under the gavel at the auction house’s evening sale on 14 October.
The prices of the six works being sold by Andipa, which has been selling Banksy artworks since 2006, range from £140,000 for a print, rising to £3m+ for the double canvas version, a sister painting of that being auctioned at Sotheby's in London on the 14th October with a punchy estimate of £2.5M - £3.5M. In addition, Andipa is also selling a rare work on paper with Girl with Balloon hand-sprayed on the reverse of a Banksy print, entitled Morons, and a much sought after artist proof of the signed proof with the red balloon replaced in gold. (Full details of the works below).
Mr Acoris Andipa, Director: "We were early believers in Banksy, acquiring and selling works by him for almost two decades ”. He goes on to say: “I would not be shocked if Love is in the Bin breaks the estimate because of its international fame but also because the image of Girl with Balloon has now become an important and recognisable symbol of 21st century contemporary art, so it’s appropriate that we release our six versions at this time."
He notes: “We have consistently sold works at lower prices than the auction houses, where the focus tends to be concentrated on just one work and a buyer has a minute or two to bid several million pounds, and that will certainly be the case with Love is in the Bin . Most of the six works at the gallery are from existing clients who have asked us to handle their re-sale. The most expensive of them having been acquired some time ago from Andipa for a fraction of the price, all less than £100,000 . I don’t believe you will be able to find these five versions available for sale anywhere else in the artworld.”
Acoris Andipa is also responsible for curating a number of prestigious and academic museum exhibitions of Banksy’s work. The current unauthorised exhibition has just moved from Art Basel's location to Parma, Italy for three months. “No other gallery does this, and it means we have unprecedented knowledge of Banksy’s oeuvre, as well as access to his work from private collectors around the globe, and we are well-placed to work with existing collectors and those who are looking to acquiring their first Banksy ,’ adds Andipa.
Works for sale at Andipa:
Girl with Balloon (single) canvas, 2004/5, edition of 25, 40 x 40 cm.
Girl with Balloon (diptych) canvas, 2004/5, edition of 25, each panel is 30 x 30 cm.
Girl with Balloon , 2004/5, work on paper, hand sprayed on the reverse of ‘Morons’ print, from a series of approx. 8, 50 x 70 cm.
Girl with Balloon (Gold) AP, 2004, screen print on paper, signed, edition of 88, 70 x 50 cm.
Girl with Balloon signed print, 2004, screen print on paper, edition of 150, 70 x 50 cm.
Girl with Balloon unsigned print, 2004, screen print on paper, edition of 600, 70 x 50 cm.
Other works available include:
Kids on Guns canvas, 2004, edition of 25, 50 x 50 cm.
Girl with TV and Red Heart, 2004, on pallet, unique in its format, 94 x 67 cm.
3D Rat, on board, 2010, unique in its format, 48 x 38 cm.
Prices available on request, please contact: sales@andipa.com; +44(0)207 589 2371
About Girl with Balloon (also, Balloon Girl or Girl and Balloon):
The work was originally started in London as a series of stencil murals depicting a young girl with her hand extended toward a red heart-shaped balloon carried away by the wind. The locations for this work include Waterloo Bridge. Other murals were around London, though none remain there. A 2017 Samsung poll ranked Girl with Balloon as the United Kingdom's number one favourite artwork. In 2018, a framed copy of the work spontaneously shredded during an auction, by way of a mechanical device Banksy had hidden in the frame. Banksy confirmed that he was responsible for the shredding and gave the altered piece a new name, Love is in the Bin. Sotheby's said it was "the first work in history ever created during a live auction."
Love is in the Bin:
On 5 October 2018, a 2006 framed copy of the artwork was auctioned at Sotheby's, selling for £1,042,000 — a record high for the artist. Moments after the closing bid, the artwork began to self-destruct by means of a hidden mechanical paper shredder that Banksy had built into the frame bottom. Only the lower half shredded. Banksy released an image of the shredding on Instagram with the words "Going, going gone..". Sotheby's said, ’We have not experienced this situation in the past where a painting spontaneously shredded", leading some market watchers to speculate the remains of the painting will be worth even more. Banksy released a video of the shredding and how the shredder was installed into the frame in case the picture ever went up for auction. The woman who won the bidding at the auction decided to go through with the purchase. The partially shredded work has been given a new title,Love Is in the Bin , and was authenticated by Banksy's authentication body Pest Control.
About Andipa:
Andipa is a leading Modern & Contemporary Art gallery based in Knightsbridge, London and established as private dealers in 1967 in the same townhouse they occupy today. It is still owned and operated by the founding family who were first recognised in fine art in 1593. Andipa is a reputable dealer in the Banksy market, exhibiting the artist’s works from their private collection since 2006. The following year, Andipa produced the first major secondary Banksy solo exhibition from its own collection which received 36,000 visitors in 6 weeks. It has been responsible for placing many of the artist’s important works into international private collections. For more information, visit: www.andipa.com
Andipa | 162 Walton Street |
Knightsbridge | London SW3 2JL | England
t: +44 (0)20 7581 1244
Gallery opening times: Monday - Friday - 9:30 - 18:00; Saturday - 11:00 - 18:00; Sunday — closed
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