Going, going... gone!

Yadda · 6 Oct 2018 at 15:38

So Banksy has been at it again.

One of his works shredded itself infront of bidders moments after being sold at Sotheby's.

Priceless!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-45770028

steve_c · 6 Oct 2018 at 15:40

The notoriety will no doubt double the value!

Brizzles · 6 Oct 2018 at 15:49

Think i've found Banksy ;

Yadda · 6 Oct 2018 at 16:13

Brizzles said:
Think i've found Banksy ;

Haha, or the frame at least.

steve_c said:
The notoriety will no doubt double the value!

Yes, setup/hoax or not, this won't do him any harm.

I'd have loved to see the reactions in the auction room when the shredder fired up and the painting/stencil began passing through it.

jsmoke · 6 Oct 2018 at 16:17

So does the sale just get cancelled?

Begbie · 6 Oct 2018 at 16:22

I mean it's funny.

But what kind of power is needed for a shredder?

Could a battery source have done this? On a timer? Remotely.

Seems setup, funny though.

Yadda · 6 Oct 2018 at 16:25

jsmoke said:
So does the sale just get cancelled?

Apparently the winning bidder is unknown and nobody seems to know what'll happen next. All a bit fishy tbh but still a cracking stunt even if all isn't as it seems.

I bet Sotheby's are still clearing up all the dropped vol au vents.

jsmoke · 6 Oct 2018 at 16:43

He may sue them. Looks like painting could be worth more once it's put back together.

Caracus2k · 6 Oct 2018 at 16:47

Begbie said:
I mean it's funny.

But what kind of power is needed for a shredder?

Could a battery source have done this? On a timer? Remotely.

Seems setup, funny though.

Looks like it was backlite, in the frame, when on display already? So presumably it was plugged in?

Edit: just watched the (mobile) video phone footage and it's clear it's a spotlight on it as security lift it off the wall so power must have been built in.

hughtrimble · 6 Oct 2018 at 16:50

It's not completely shredded is it though? Looks like half of it remains in the frame, and half shredded, meaning it is still a viable thing to hang on the wall, with no adjustment (other than no doubt substantial cash value increase given the stunt).

Also, I find it hard to believe that when evaluating it, Sotheby's didn't notice the shredder and associated battery etc. I find it very hard to believe they were not in on this all along.

Nitefly · 6 Oct 2018 at 16:56

I mean, really, how could those handling the painting not have noticed such a shredder in the frame.

But if it’s not a well orchestrated hoax with the purchaser and the auction house... I suspect the purchaser will be offered the item as is but if rejected it would be resold without any litigation taking place. Some commentary has barked on about the point of sale, but to me that’s irrelevant - I would suggest the state and delivery of said item upon delivery to the purchaser is more material. I don’t think anyone could run a bona fide ‘caveat emptor’ defence against something that has been secretly and intentionally designed to self destruct without disclosure to the purchaser

JBuk · 6 Oct 2018 at 16:59

Excellent trolling

easyrider · 6 Oct 2018 at 17:15

Brilliant !

=XDC=FluphyBunny · 6 Oct 2018 at 17:35

An obvious setup but people seem to lap it up.

touch · 6 Oct 2018 at 20:19

Nitefly said:
I mean, really, how could those handling the painting not have noticed such a shredder in the frame.

I doubt any auction house is going to dismantle the objects for sale to check for anything hidden inside, or should they just xray everything?

Minusorange · 6 Oct 2018 at 20:26

touch said:
I doubt any auction house is going to dismantle the objects for sale to check for anything hidden inside, or should they just xray everything?

You'd expect them to at least inspect the objects for sale, a shredder + the batteries needed to power it isn't exactly easy to conceal in frame, you'd know something was dodgy from the weight alone

JBuk · 6 Oct 2018 at 20:32

It depends whether they’ve handled the goods or a third party has been involved

touch · 6 Oct 2018 at 20:35

Minusorange said:
You'd expect them to at least inspect the objects for sale

I might expect them to have an art expert verify if the actual painting/print was genuine. I wouldn't expect any more 'investigation' than that.

Minusorange said:
a shredder + the batteries needed to power it isn't exactly easy to conceal in frame, you'd know something was dodgy from the weight alone

It's a very large frame and if it was solid wood it would be very heavy. You could quite easily conceal a motor and some batteries inside.
The "shredder" is just a series of scalpel blades, probably weighs no more than 20grams. Just need a small motor and some batteries with it.

I'm not convinced by the story - but that's mainly because it's claimed that it was setup "a few years ago" and I doubt it would have lasted so long. Not because I think the auction house would have noticed anything unusual.

Jokester · 6 Oct 2018 at 20:37

Minusorange said:
You'd expect them to at least inspect the objects for sale, a shredder + the batteries needed to power it isn't exactly easy to conceal in frame, you'd know something was dodgy from the weight alone

That looks like a heavy solid wood frame, so they would expect a bit of weight to it, though aye, I’m a bit suspicious of the battery keeping it’s charge for apparently years, though it might explain why it only managed half the painting before dying.

Malevolence · 6 Oct 2018 at 20:40

Vandal vandalises. How apt.