A striking Banksy artwork—a red heart-shaped balloon covered in bandages—will soon find a new home. This unique , a famed street artist known for stenciled works that blend dark humor with political and social commentary, is a 7,500-pound section of a Brooklyn warehouse wall. Following a public viewing the wall will be auctioned by Guernsey's, an auction house for extraordinary properties, on May 21, with proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association, devoted to changing the future to a world of healthier lives for all.
The piece was created in the fall of 2013. The then 59-year-old Vassilios Georgiadis, a Brooklyn warehouse owner, offered helpful advice to a passing van driver who later turned out to be Banksy. The elusive artist returned in the middle of the night to create the mural depicting a floating Mylar balloon on Georgiadis' warehouse wall in the Brooklyn neighborhood, Red Hook. Shortly after its creation, rival artist "Omar NYC" defaced the piece by spray-painting over the heart and scrawling his own name in front of a live crowd. Countering that - and the only time he has ever been known to re-work his art - Banksy revisited the wall at the corner of King and Van Brunt streets and embellished it further.
"To me this powerful artwork is more than just street art—it's a symbol of the millions of lives impacted by heart disease, our nation's leading cause of death", said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "As we continue our diligent and dedicated work to improve health for everyone, everywhere, we appreciate the support and generosity of the Georgiadis family. This donation will fund life-saving research, help us advocate for healthier communities and improve patient care."
With Banksy's bright red, heart-shaped balloon as the wall's centerpiece, it was a sad coincidence when, just a few years later, Georgiadis passed away from heart disease. Honoring his memory, his family is generously donating a significant portion of the auction's proceeds to the American Heart Association.
The Banksy artwork will be on public display at the Winter Garden at Brookfield Place, lower Manhattan at 230 Vesey St, New York, through May 21, culminating in the live auction. Guernsey's will hold the auction live on location at the Winter Garden Atrium and online via LiveAuctioneers.com with proceeds benefitting the American Heart Association.
