NEW YORK — When the mysterious street artist Banksy left his mark on a Brooklyn warehouse back in 2013, he turned an ordinary brick building into an unexpected art hotspot. The artwork, a heart-shaped balloon bandaged with a Band-Aid, quickly drew attention, sparking a graffiti exchange that added layers to the piece.
Almost immediately after Banksy debuted his creation, a bold tagger stepped up and added “Omar NYC” in red paint beside the balloon, much to the frustration of onlookers. Days later, a message stenciled in white and pink appeared, stating “is a little girl” beside Omar’s mark, followed by “I remember MY first tag” sarcastically sprayed in black. Some speculate that Banksy himself may have returned to subtly add this rejoinder.
The graffiti contest didn’t stop there. Another street artist tried to contribute to the wall but was thwarted by security guards, leaving just “SHAN” in light purple remaining visible. Maria Georgiadis, whose family owned the now-demolished warehouse, removed part of the wall to preserve the art. She believes the layered graffiti reflects the vibrant, combative spirit of New York.
“You can see a battle unfolding on the wall,” Georgiadis remarked. The preserved wall section, now known as “Battle to Survive a Broken Heart,” will soon be auctioned by Guernsey’s in New York on May 21.
For Georgiadis, the sale is bittersweet. Her father, Vassilios Georgiadis, who used the warehouse for his roofing business, passed away four years ago at 67 due to a heart attack. To honor him, some sale proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association. “It represents my dad’s spirit,” Maria expressed. “The bandaged heart signifies love and resilience. We keep moving forward, despite wounds.”
The large wall piece is one of many guerilla art installations Banksy created during a 2013 New York residency. Banksy initially revealed his work with photos and audio on his website.
Guernsey’s President Arlan Ettinger believes it’s hard to verify who added the subsequent messages, but the precision and wording hint it might’ve been Banksy’s subtle remark to maintain order. Ulrich Blanché from Heidelberg University finds the work significant partly due to its placement in Red Hook, which was then challenging to access. Banksy encouraged people to discover lesser-known parts of New York through his art.
However, Blanché questions if the additional stenciling was truly Banksy’s. The design choices don’t align with Banksy’s style, nor do the messages seem characteristic of him. “The wording and fonts suggest otherwise,” he wrote. Blanché expressed mixed feelings about the sale, pointing out that Banksy usually doesn’t endorse selling his street art. Owners face challenges in preserving these artworks, though they’re meant for the communities they were created in, Blanché added.
Banksy’s representatives declined comments regarding the situation.
Anastasios, Maria’s brother, shared their father’s vision to preserve the piece locally in Red Hook after framing it in steel. Although the property was sold and plans fell through, the art’s sale prospects remain uncertain due to unique factors like size. In London, a Banksy work from the “Girl With Balloon” series auctioned for over a million pounds in 2018, famously self-destructing afterwards.
Ultimately, Maria hopes the eventual buyer appreciates the “Broken Heart” as her father did, finding beauty and meaning beyond its surface. In 2013, the family business was recovering from Hurricane Sandy’s devastation when Banksy added his unexpected touch. Vassilios didn’t recognize Banksy but was deeply moved by the painted heart. “‘Can you believe it, Maria? It’s a heart,’ he would say,” Maria fondly remembered.