A little girl and a red, heart-shaped balloon slipping out of her grasp: hardly any street art motif is as well known as Banksy's Girl with Balloon. But behind the simple image lies a story that reaches all the way into London's biggest auction room.
Where it all began
In 2002 the work first appeared on a wall on London's South Bank, near Waterloo Bridge. Next to it were the words “There is always hope”. The graffiti itself has long since disappeared, but the motif spread around the world as a print, poster and stencil.
What the image means
Girl with Balloon can be read in several ways. The balloon can stand for love, childhood or hope slipping away from us. Whether the girl is having to let go of the balloon or is still reaching for it, Banksy leaves open. It is precisely this openness that makes the work so powerful: everyone sees something different in it, loss or hope.
The moment that made art history
In October 2018 a framed version of Girl with Balloon was auctioned at Sotheby's in London. The moment the hammer fell, the picture slid through a shredder hidden in the frame and cut itself halfway. Banksy then renamed the work “Love is in the Bin”. When it was auctioned again at Sotheby's in 2021, it fetched around £18.6 million, a record for Banksy.
Why the motif still moves people today
Girl with Balloon combines simplicity with a message that everyone understands. A child, a balloon, a gesture: that is all it takes to evoke a feeling. That is why today you will come across the girl with the red balloon in exhibitions, on posters and mugs, as well as on copies painted on walls around the world.
Girl with Balloon for your home
In our Girl with Balloon collection you will find the motif on posters, coffee mugs, magnets, tote bags and more: as a memento of your exhibition visit or as a gift for anyone who believes in “always hope”.
