Graffiti art piece, 'Broken Heart' by Banksy, vandalized on a Brooklyn wall, hits the market for sale.
Rewritten Article:
Street Art's Lively Dance: Battle of the Graffiti Artists
In the vibrant urban jungle of New York, a simple act of artistry transformed an ordinary wall into a battlefield of creativity. Beside a Banksy piece, an unlikely graffiti duel unfolded, leaving an indelible mark on the city's rich cultural landscape.
When enigmatic street artist Banksy adorned a Brooklyn warehouse with his iconic heart-shaped balloon, complete with a Band-Aid, the unsuspecting structure instantly became a magnet for art enthusiasts. But before long, an anonymous tagger boldly emerged, scrawling "Omar NYC" in stark red letters right next to the balloon, to the dismay of onlookers.
The art world's pulse quickened as Banksy's followers debated whether the mystifying anonymous artist would strike back. A few days later, a sympathetic response emerged, as someone skillfully stenciled "is a little girl" in delicate pink and white, followed by a sarcastic retort in black: "I remember MY first tag." Some believed it to be Banksy's secretive comeback.
The graffiti war didn't end there. Another eager artist attempted to leave his mark, but security guards swiftly thwarted the endeavor, leaving the faint trace of "SHAN" in light purple paint.
Maria Georgiadis, the former owner of the warehouse and the guardian of the artistic chaos that ensued, regards this graffiti tapestry as the embodiment of New York's spirit.
"It's like a battle going on," she recently mused. "They're literally going at it on the wall."
Up for Grabs
This dynamic artwork, affectionately called "Battle to Survive a Broken Heart," will soon be up for auction. On May 21, Guernsey's, a renowned auction house, will offer the preserved wall section for bidding.
Georgiadis, a dedicated Brooklyn schoolteacher, shares the bittersweet emotion surrounding the sale. Her father, Vassilios Georgiadis, who ran his roofing and asbestos abatement company from the wall-bound balloon, passed away four years ago at the age of 67, due to a heart attack. A portion of the auction proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association, in loving memory of the late father.
"It's just very significant to us because he loved it and he was just so full of love," Maria Georgiadis shared during a recent visit to the warehouse where the piece was carefully stored for over a decade. "It's like the bandage heart. We all have love, but we've all went through things and we just put a little Band-Aid over and just keep on moving, right?"
The near-4-ton, 6-feet-tall (3.6-metric ton, 1.8-meter-tall) wall section is one of several clandestine works Banksy created during his New York residency in 2013.
At the time, Banksy announced the work by posting on his website photos, an audio track, and press releases, leaving the art world abuzz with intrigue.
The Ongoing Debate
Guernsey auction house President Arlan Ettinger admits that it is impossible to know for certain who penned the response to the initial anonymous tagger due to Banksy's clandestine approach. However, he suggests that the flawless stenciling and articulate wording "strongly indicate that this was a subtle way for Banksy to assert his authority."
Ulrich Blanché, an art history lecturer at Heidelberg University in Germany, calls the piece a "masterfully executed" stencil that captivates for its Banksy's placement in Brooklyn's Red Hook district.
"This part of NYC was not easy to reach at that time," Blanche said via email. "Banksy wanted people to discover places in NYC they never have seen and love them as well."
However, Blanche questions whether the additional stenciled text was indeed Banksy's handiwork. He argues that the phrasing and fonts do not align with Banksy's style in 2013, describing the word choices and palette as too elaborate and out of character for the artist at the time.
"To call a graffiti artist a 'girl' is not something Banksy would do in 2013. This is misogynistic and immature in a sexist way," Blanche asserted. "Multiple fonts that don't harmonize and three colors – why should he do that? It seems too overly embellished without reason. So I think this may have been added by someone else."
Blanche feels torn about the pending sale, recognizing that Banksy's works should be preserved for the communities they were created to serve but acknowledging the burden faced by property owners to protect and maintain them.
"Banksy's works should be preserved, but for the community they were made for," he said. "They should not be turned into commodities. They are made and intended for a specific location. Not portable. Not sellable."
Spokespersons for Banksy could not be reached for comment.
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