An iconic piece of street art by the elusive Banksy is captivating visitors in Lower Manhattan, but art lovers only have until May 21 to see it in person.
Weighing in at 7,500 pounds, the artwork, titled “Battle to Survive a Broken Heart,” features a bandaged heart-shaped balloon and was originally created by Banksy in 2013 in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood.
This unique work holds the distinction of being the only piece that Banksy has ever returned to retouch.
Art enthusiasts can find it displayed in the Winter Garden at Brookfield Place, located at 230 Vesey Street.
Since 2014, the wall on which this artwork was created has been preserved in a climate-controlled warehouse in Long Island City.
Now, it is on public display ahead of an auction scheduled for May 21, organized by Guernsey’s, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The American Heart Association.
The origin story of this notable artwork adds further intrigue.
In the fall of 2013, a chance encounter occurred when 59-year-old Vassilios Georgiadis offered advice to a van driver, who turned out to be Banksy.
In an unexpected twist, Banksy returned in the dead of night to create the now-famous floating Mylar balloon mural on Georgiadis’ warehouse wall.
However, shortly after its creation, another artist, “Omar NYC,” vandalized the piece by spray-painting over the heart and adding his own tag in front of a live audience.
In a rare move, Banksy revisited the wall to enhance the artwork further, making it the only piece he has ever reworked.
Eventually, the wall segment was cut from the warehouse and kept in storage, preserving its history.
Tragically, Georgiadis passed away from heart disease a few years later.
In a gesture of remembrance, his family has pledged to donate a significant portion of the auction’s proceeds to the American Heart Association.
An audio guide at banksy.co.uk describes the piece as “an uplifting visual poem to that most fragile of human emotions that seem to move within us as if on a soft breeze,” highlighting its emotional resonance.
As the auction date approaches, potential bidders and spectators are encouraged to take note of the event.
The live auction will take place in the Winter Garden at Brookfield Place and can also be accessed online via LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com.
The proceeds from this auction will be shared between Georgiadis’ family and the American Heart Association, furthering support for heart health initiatives.
Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, issued a statement emphasizing the significant impact this artwork and the accompanying auction will have on communities affected by heart disease.
She remarked, “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.
As we relentlessly work to improve health for everyone, we deeply appreciate the support from the Georgiadis family.
This donation will contribute to life-saving research, advocating for healthier communities, and improving patient care.”
image source from：https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/after-10-years-in-storage-an-iconic-banksy-artwork-is-on-view-again-in-nyc-042425
