See Banksy’s self-shredded masterpiece in Abu Dhabi this week

A once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the world’s most talked-about Banksy in Abu Dhabi

Even if you’re not an art buff, you’ve probably seen the moment a Banksy painting shredded itself seconds after selling at auction. Originally Girl With Balloon and now officially titled Love Is in the Bin (or Girl Without Balloon), the artwork made global headlines in 2018 for its now-legendary stunt. And this week, UAE residents can see the piece up close as it arrives for Sotheby’s Collector’s Week in Abu Dhabi – the most valuable luxury auction series ever staged in the Middle East.

Take a look at the moment it happened below
(Skip to 1:56 to see the shred.)

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The artwork, as seen from the above video, was intended to be shredded the entire way through, therefore leading to the name Love Is in the Bin – but a malfunction caused it to be shredded only halfway through.

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Banksy even posted about the incident leading up to the shredding with the caption ‘Going, going, gone…’

But that’s not the only showstopper on display…

The exhibition will showcase some of the most high-profile artworks and objects Sotheby’s has sold over the past six decades – over $150 million worth of items, from jewellery, watches, handbags – including Jane Birkin’s Original Hermès Birkin, collector cars and more.

For art fans, you can even lay your eyes on one of the finest Rembrandt drawings ever to appear at auction and what could be Gustav Klimt’s final portrait – Dame mit Fächer.

You can view all the details here.

But don’t put your viewing off, as Sotheby’s ICONS will only be on view from December 2 to 6, 2025, at St Regis Saadiyat.

As Banksy said… ‘Going, going, gone…’

Images: Getty Images

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