The Philosophy Behind Banksy’s Art

In a famous 2018 stunt, Banksy reinforced this view by embedding a shredder inside the frame of Girl with Balloon, which partially destroyed the artwork seconds after being auctioned for over a million pounds. The event shocked the art world, but it was also deeply symbolic. The destruction served not only as a critique of the commercialization of art but as a visual manifestation of Schopenhauer's idea that attainment leads not to joy, but to dissolution. The renamed piece, Love Is in the Bin, remains a stark reminder of art’s fragility and the futility of possession.