Shredded Banksy million dollar painting goes on display in Germany

A valuable Banksy painting, which shocked onlookers as it partially shredded itself after being sold at auction, is now on display in Baden-Baden, Germany until March 3.

Just after the hammer went down to the winning bidder, in a shocking performance art move, the bottom half of the painting passed through a shredder concealed inside the frame.

Sotheby's said the winning bidder, a female European collector, has decided to go through with the purchase of $1.4 million for "Girl With Balloon."

"When the hammer came down last week and the work was shredded, I was at first shocked, but gradually I began to realize that I would end up with my own piece of art history," the unnamed buyer said in a statement, according to Sotheby's.

Sotheby's added: "Amidst speculation that this was a collaboration with Sotheby's, Banksy's former gallerist Steve Lazarides said: 'I worked for him for 12 years, the idea of him colluding with an institution to pull off a stunt is the

complete antithesis to his philosophy.'"

The painting, retitled "Love is in the Bin" after the shredding, will eventually be moved to a museum in Stuttgart, Germany, on permanent loan.