An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s • Hacker News Board

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#21

Post by chii » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:34 AM UTC

pcurve wrote: post #13

xevb3k wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assume they won’t actually have to pay? I’d guess whatever contract their is with the seller also requires that the art is delivered safely to the purchaser. I wonder what the message is here, or if there is a message beyond the publicity. I guess something about the art having no inherent value...

“But is the work destroyed? Or is it transformed? Even Branczik isn’t sure. “You could argue that the work is now more valuable,” Branczik said. “It’s certainly the first piece to be spontaneously shredded as an auction ends.”

since information cannot be destroyed (at least, according to quantum physics), i argue it's transformed. And it's just as valuable transformed, if not more so.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#22

Post by ggggtez » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:35 AM UTC

xevb3k wrote: post #7

rajacombinator wrote: post #3

Plot twist: the buyer can now probably keep the frame + shreds and resell it for several times what they paid.

I assume they won’t actually have to pay? I’d guess whatever contract their is with the seller also requires that the art is delivered safely to the purchaser. I wonder what the message is here, or if there is a message beyond the publicity. I guess something about the art having no inherent value...

They'll pay and be happy to do so.

Banksy's art is valuable exactly because his art pushes the boundary. It wasn't just destroyed for no reason. His graffiti art is meant to be public, and he has made no secret he thinks private art collection is bullshit.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#23

Post by krispbyte » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:35 AM UTC

xevb3k wrote: post #7

rajacombinator wrote: post #3

Plot twist: the buyer can now probably keep the frame + shreds and resell it for several times what they paid.

I assume they won’t actually have to pay? I’d guess whatever contract their is with the seller also requires that the art is delivered safely to the purchaser. I wonder what the message is here, or if there is a message beyond the publicity. I guess something about the art having no inherent value...

But the shredding functionality was part of the work of art all along. A feature, not a bug!

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#24

Post by okket » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:37 AM UTC

chii wrote: post #21

pcurve wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“But is the work destroyed? Or is it transformed? Even Branczik isn’t sure. “You could argue that the work is now more valuable,” Branczik said. “It’s certainly the first piece to be spontaneously shredded as an auction ends.”

since information cannot be destroyed (at least, according to quantum physics), i argue it's transformed. And it's just as valuable transformed, if not more so.

I doubt a burned, sorry, transformed, version of the Mona Lisa would be more worth than before.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#25

Post by throw0101011 » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:39 AM UTC

Not referring to this specific exhibit but other pieces by a similar artist. Thousands of people can create this kind of paintings for cheap. That it still sells for more than what many people can make in a decade or a career means a stratospheric concentration of wealth in society or a bubble in the commercial art world.

If there is real scarcity because of climate change or other widespread disaster, how much can a piece of this ‘quality’ be sold for? A loaf of bread, or less?

That millions of children still starve but a piece of simplistic art is worth more than the value of food a whole village consumes in a decade is a sorry effect of the financial system we use or the way our society assigns ‘coolness’ score to people and activity.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#26

Post by NeedMoreTea » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:41 AM UTC

okket wrote: post #24

chii wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

since information cannot be destroyed (at least, according to quantum physics), i argue it's transformed. And it's just as valuable transformed, if not more so.

I doubt a burned, sorry, transformed, version of the Mona Lisa would be more worth than before.

What if Leonardo had very publicly transformed it before he died?

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#27

Post by emteycz » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:46 AM UTC

throw0101011 wrote: post #25

Not referring to this specific exhibit but other pieces by a similar artist. Thousands of people can create this kind of paintings for cheap. That it still sells for more than what many people can make in a decade or a career means a stratospheric concentration of wealth in society or a bubble in the commercial art world. If there is real scarcity because of climate change or other widespread disaster, how much can a…

It is not artifact of any financial system, this would happen even if we had full communism, just illegally and with barter/favor payments. It is artifact of human nature.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#28

Post by okket » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:46 AM UTC

NeedMoreTea wrote: post #26

okket wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt a burned, sorry, transformed, version of the Mona Lisa would be more worth than before.

What if Leonardo had very publicly transformed it before he died?

An urn with the ashes of the painting would not be that much worth or admired now.

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#29

Post by psergeant » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:46 AM UTC

throw0101011 wrote: post #25

Not referring to this specific exhibit but other pieces by a similar artist. Thousands of people can create this kind of paintings for cheap. That it still sells for more than what many people can make in a decade or a career means a stratospheric concentration of wealth in society or a bubble in the commercial art world. If there is real scarcity because of climate change or other widespread disaster, how much can a…

You know Banksy made a film about exactly what you’re describing called “Exit Through The Gift Shop” right?

Re: An artwork by Banksy shredded itself after selling for $1.3M at Sotheby’s

#30

Post by codeulike » Sat, Oct 06, 2018, 6:49 AM UTC

crooked-v wrote: post #2

> Banksy’s iconic Girl With Balloon (2006) attracted feverish bidding in the room and on the phones, racing past its high estimate of £300,000 to hammer at £860,000, or just over £1 million ($1.3 million with fees). As the gavel slammed, a siren rang out through the salesroom and everyone stood stunned as the Banksy canvas slid through the frame that it was contained in and emerged underneath—but shredded. I'm impres…

The implication is that the frame was a recent addition and that Banksy or an accomplice was in the room to trigger the shredder at the right time