Love in the Bin: Banksy's Shocking Artwork of Rebirth - Research Paper

Introduction

On October 5, 2018, an anonymous artist and a global prankster Bansky not only shocked the world but the onlooker at Sotheby with his beloved art of a 'Girl with Balloon.' The art was sold at the London streets for the approximated figure of 1.4 million (Tomaiuolo, 2018). Love in the Bin is a clear representation of an ornate frame, shredding like an office paper, and after that leaves a question mark of what happens next? Love in the Bin depicts a clear rebirth of artistic works and has kept a criminological account of multiple inventions that have changed the industry landscape (Tomaiuolo, 2018). Therefore, the paper aims to analyze the artistical work of Bansky 'Love is in the Bin' through incorporations of such aspects, including formal elements, iconography, and social/historical context.

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Social and Historical Context

Love in the Bin is a 2018 artistic intervention created by Banksy at Sotheby in London. The art portrays unexpected self-destruction of the 2006 paintings of the girl with Balloon creation in history to have been created live during the auction (Tomaiuolo, 2018). The girl in the Balloon is evidently an adaptation of Bansky's initial mural works, having a rare and unique work and not a print. Notably, according to Sotheby, Bansky art is the first-ever commonly debated art (Tomaiuolo, 2018). It is difficult to think of a number of artists where the mention of their names would lead to such questions, including what are their contribution? Bansky is more than just a rebel and a graffiti artist of all time. Bansky has such capabilities including captivation, amusement, and making fun.

He achieves his objective while distancing himself from mainstream art market and protecting his anonymity. Banksy's creativity has significantly contributed to additional resonance and mystique that have influenced his entire success. Moreover, Love in the Bin has the ability of raising audience spirit and confront societal perception of how individuals live. Love in the Bin has an outsider approach with the most significant and dramatic experiences in the saleroom history when the remote control was anonymously clicked from the shredding device below the frame of the girl with Balloon.

Formal Element

Love is in the Bin, depicted by portraits of the girl with Balloon, which is often referred to as Balloon girl, is perhaps the most remarkable and significant artistical work of all time. Like the artist himself, a girl with a balloon is faceless and shows a clear representation of a black silhouette of a teen girl seeking a red shaped heart balloon (Brenner, 2019). Moreover, the enigmatic aspects of the picture tend to reveal only barest descriptions of the associated subjects, just like 'mobile lovers,' 'Umbrella Girl' and so does the 'Balloon Girl.' (Brenner, 2019). Notably, the Balloon girl's famousness can be primarily attributed to the global applicability of unbiased intellectual pretension, clear stenciled lines, limited colors, and clear ideological representation.

However, the version of the girl and the Balloon auctioned at the London streets were perceived ironically, with simple contrasting dramatics and extravagant frames, which has placed has Bansky art under such parameters, including exclusivity and wealth during the auction. Banksy has often incorporated contrast especially between the violence of the surrounding and innocence of young generation, while pointing out either political or social status in the community (Brenner, 2019). Notably, the first-ever version of the girl with Balloon was morally developed in 2002 with such words, including 'there is always hope' written underneath (Brenner, 2019). The hope implies and often represented in a subsequent version of the girl in the Balloon, including the 2018 version. However, one of the most significant variations was evident at the west bank, which depicted a young teen girl being lifted over a separate wall of Palestine and Israel by multiple black balloons.

Iconography

In his typical fashion, many circumstances and details unfold, making the artwork remains a mystery recognized across the globe. According Gough (2018), Sotheby were not wary of Banksy's intentions, by pointing out that the frame of the teen girl would have been thicker or heavier. This implies that the frame used was thin with shredded a designed mechanism that was more appealing to the eye. Moreover, the performative shredding of the girl and the red BalloonBalloon was a piece of the icon in itself (Gough, 2018). Bansky categorically mentioned that the paintings on his work were primarily to contrast with the half-shredded remainder, which had tantalizing implications completely.

Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1: Love is in the Bin Gough (2018)

The red rose is used by Bansky to depict the theme of love and passion. Since ancient times, the rose has been a symbol of socialism and passion, and thus a red rose means a lifetime that has been fulfilled (Gough, 2018). Therefore, what is more, classical and romantic than the red rose used by Bansky in love is in the Bin? Moreover, Bansky artistic work has an iconography of a skirt, symbolizing a teen lady. This is a symbol of gender iconography. Therefore, it is ideally mentioning the theme of love is at the core of Banksy's artistic works.

References

Brenner, L. (2019). The Banksy Effect. Harvard International Review, 40(2), 34-37. Harvard Law Review, 37(3), 375. https://doi.org/10.2307/1328367

Gough, P. (2018). Existentialism: Banksy and the stencil as radical graphic form. Drawing: Research, Theory, Practice, 1(1), 97-117. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781682660751.01

Tomaiuolo, S. (2018). Conclusion: Bansky at the great exhibition. Deviance in Neo-Victorian Culture, 225-236. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96950-3_7