Module 5 Artwork Analysis

"love is in the bin" by Banksy 

Description

     This image is a framed print of Banksy's painting "Girl with Balloon". The image shown is halfway shredded. The original painting is a black and white silhouette of a little girl who is holding a heart shaped red balloon. In the picture the balloon is floating away as the little girl watches it floating away. The shredding goes halfway down the painting and the little girls face is covered by the frame of the painting. It now shoes the body of the little girl and the red heart shaped balloon. The frame is distressed and brown with a large pattern around the edges. 

Analysis 

    The original print was just the little girl and the balloon but when the original piece was sold at an auction the piece shredded. As soon as it was sold it was shredded in half. When you look at the piece your eyes are drawn to the bright red heart shaped balloon because of the way it stands out against the brown frame and the black silhouette. When you look at it you also seem to focus on the fact that you can see the little girl looking up at the balloon even when you can barely see her face because of the frame that cuts across her face. Obviously one of the biggest things your eyes focuses on is the fact that the painting is shredded in half. 

Interpretation 

    I think this piece has two different meanings. I think there is one meaning behind the original painting and one behind the fact that it was shredded as soon as it was auctioned off. I think the original message has something to do with the balloon being heart shaped and floating away. I think it represents emotions and eventually letting them go. The heart shaped balloon being your emotions and the little girl just watching it go represents them being let go. I think the meaning behind the painting being shredded is completely different. I think the meaning behind it being shredded is that Banksy does not play into the art auction community. I think he liked to play pranks on the people who buy his paintings for millions of dollars.   

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/contemporary-art-evening-auction-2/love-is-in-the-bin