A piece of art by the mysterious graffiti artist Banksy is scheduled to be sold at an upcoming auction—and some of the proceeds are being donated to the American Heart Association (AHA).
The piece in question, which features a red heart-shaped balloon, has an unusual origin story, even by Banksy’s standards. The art was first painted on a warehouse wall owned by Vassilios Georgiadis back in 2013 after Georgiadis has been kind to Banksy without realizing who the artist was. However, multiple other artists soon defaced it with their own graffiti.
Banksy then returned again, adding additional touches to the piece. This is said to be the only time the artist ever returned in this way to alter a piece he had previously finished.
Georgiadis died from heart disease in 2021. His family, wanting to honor his memory, has now decided to donate “a significant portion” of the proceeds from this sale to the AHA.
“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”, Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the AHA, said in a statement. “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.”
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
