“Balloon Girl” by Banksy – Discover the Girl With the Red Balloon

Any information you find about the British street artist Banksy will undoubtedly cover his mysterious presence and concealed identity as an artist. He paints the streets of London incognito, but fully reveals his art style to the world. This article will discuss his iconic Balloon Girl graffiti paintings in more detail. 

Artist Abstract: Who Is Banksy?

Banksy is a British artist known for his graffiti art all over London. His identity has always been shrouded and mysterious and his birth year is estimated to have been either 1973 or 1974 with his birthplace being in Bristol, England. His style is stenciled graffiti murals of subject matter with underlying socio-political messaging. His art has been described as “anti-authoritarian”.

Some of his famous pieces include Kissing Coppers (2004), Rage, the Flower Thrower (2005), and Mona Lisa Bazooka (2007 – 2008).

Banksy’s Swinger in New Orleans, United States; Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Balloon Girl (2002) by Banksy in Context

The article below will look at the famous, and infamous, graffiti murals Balloon Girl by Banksy. It will start with a contextual analysis exploring where some of them have been painted and their symbolic meaning. It will then explore a formal analysis, describing the composition of one of the first renditions of the Balloon Girl from 2002, which was painted on the Waterloo Bridge staircase wall at the South Bank in London.  

Contextual Analysis: A Brief Socio-Historical Overview

Imagine a wild goose chase, or in this case, a “wild Banksy chase”. This is the case whenever it comes to finding the identity of the British artist named Banksy. He has become one of the top street/graffiti artists to date and a name known by many, but this is where we are left, a known name without a known face. Banksy has left a graffiti trail, so to say, of images symbolizing various ideas related to aspects of freedom, human existence and suffering, and political and philosophical ideas.

Of these have been his girl with red balloon murals, not to discount his rats, dogs, monkeys, policemen, soldiers, and yes, even crabs. Banksy’s first rendition of Balloon Girl was in 2002 on the Waterloo Bridge in London, however, this version was reportedly painted over.

He created another version in 2004 in Shoreditch, a London district, on the wall of a local shop. This was reportedly removed in 2014 by a concierge and events company called the Sincura Group. Other examples of balloon girls include Balloon Girl (2004) prints were also popularly sold at auctions over several years. Reportedly the artist signed 150 copies and left 600 unsigned and the latter unsigned Reportedly in 2019 12 lots were sold, in 2020 13 lots sold, in 2021 20 lots sold, and in 2022 another 13 lots sold.

 Girl with heart balloon in London (2006) by Banksy; LYDIA and her SALAD DAYS, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Flying Balloon Girl (2005) is on the West Bank Wall in Israel, which is reportedly over eight meters in height. It depicts the girl lifted into the air, or in this case up the wall, by seven inflated balloons. The color for this stenciled piece is black. Another Balloon Girl (2009) includes her on the cardboard backing of an Ikea frame which was also spray painted on. It sold for £73, 250 at the Bonhams Auction House in London in March 2012.

The Balloon Girl Shredded

Banksy’s Balloon Girl lives on in prints too, for example, a 2006 version that was framed was in the process of being sold at a Sotheby’s auction in October 2018 for just over £1 million. However, this print did not go out without a bang, so to say, because Banksy built a shredder into its frame, reportedly for the purpose of self-destruction if the print was auctioned. 

Some news reports also state the uncertainty around how the shredder was activated, but it was most likely activated by the sound when the auctioneer hit the gavel for the bid that won or the siren.

The print started shredding and stopped halfway due to a defect in the shredder, which many surmise the artist did not expect because of his statement that accompanied a video of a fully shredded print he posted, stating, “In rehearsals it worked every time”. According to a video taken of the event, many appeared shocked and surprised at what occurred in front of them. It was an unexpected event and one that recreated the shredded print into a new artwork that was subsequently titled Love Is in the Bin (2018).

The new Banksy artwork depicts the floating balloon to the right inside the canvas and just the top tip of the girl’s head. The rest of the composition, the girl’s lower torso, and legs, hang in vertical strips below the gilded frame. The girl’s head and upper torso are covered by the lower part of the frame. Love Is in the Bin was sold in October 2021 at another Sotheby’s auction and the selling price was £16 million.

It has been described by Sotheby’s as “the first work in history ever created during a live auction”.

Formal Analysis: A Brief Compositional Overview

The formal analysis below will discuss the 2002 version of Balloon Girl by Banksy. It will start with a visual description of the subject matter, looking at the girl and her stance including the balloon. This will be followed by a discussion about how the art elements (color, texture, line, shape, form, and space) compose the piece.

Subject Matter: Visual Description

Although Balloon Girl by Banksy might appear straightforward and somewhat playful in its composition there is significant meaning behind it. Banksy depicted a girl on the side of the Waterloo Bridge’s staircase wall. She is possibly between six to ten years old, standing in profile (seen from the side). Her body is facing to the left, which includes the viewers’ left.  She is wearing a dress and there appears to be a wind blowing as her dress and hair are billowing towards the left. Her feet are not visible, and her ankles are just above where the lower part of the wall meets the paved floor.

Her head is slightly turned upwards looking at a balloon in the shape of a heart with a string/ribbon attached to its knot.

The balloon is floating into the air in front of the girl and while her focus is on it, her right arm is outstretched towards it creating a visible gap of space between her right hand and fingers and the bottom of the balloon’s string/ribbon. The girl’s left hand appears to be held idly to her side, and it does not appear that anything is held in it, while her right arm and hand are held up. Her facial expression appears somewhat neutral as she gazes toward the balloon.

Flying Ballon Girl on the West Bank wall at Kalandia (2005) by Banksy; Maureen from Buffalo, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Written on the top edge of the right side of the Waterloo Bridge, behind the girl, are the words in white and capital letters, “THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE”.  Additionally, directly behind the girl is an electricity/power box attached to the wall with a wire running along a crack in the wall above it and along the upper part of the staircase wall. 

Color

The color scheme in Balloon Girl by Banksy is monochromatic, the girl is depicted in black with highlights created from the light gray color of the Waterloo bridge’s concrete and stone. The balloon is the only color present in the composition, and it is red. Banksy created the effect of light through shadows and highlights, notably on the front side of the girl’s body and face, which appear lighter in color (the gray from the wall).

The rest of her body is painted in black. This indicates an unknown light source on the girl from the left side.

Texture

There is some texture implied in Balloon Girl by Banksy, for example, notice the round light dot (again, gray from the wall) on the right and upper side of the balloon. This gives the effect of light reflecting and indicates the balloon’s shiny surface texture. Additionally, the tactile concrete and stony texture of the Waterloo Bridge create the canvas for the Girl with Red Balloon. 

Line

There are naturalistic curved, rounded, and jagged lines in Balloon Girl by Banksy. These are evident by delineating the girl’s figure and the folds of her dress. There are rounded edges of the balloon’s shape and the wavy and curly lines of the string/ribbon attached to its knot. A horizontal-diagonal line is implied from the girl’s outstretched right arm in line with the balloon’s string/ribbon.

The gap between the two seemingly emphasizes this line even more. There are some vertical lines created by the placement of the girl’s left arm to her side and the jagged folds of her dress.

Shape and Form

Like the naturalism of the composition’s lines, there is a naturalism of shape and form, in other words, forms that would occur in the real world and that we, the viewers, can identify compared to abstract forms that would be non-figurative. This is mostly in the girl’s figure. Additionally, a common shape, easily identified by most, is the heart shape of the balloon.

No Future in Southampton (2010) by Banksy; GualdimG, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Space

The space utilized in Balloon Girl by Banksy is the side of the Waterloo Bridge stairway wall including the sidewalk below it. This leaves it open to interaction with the public, but also from a close-up view; viewers can walk right up to the Balloon Girl and see her from different angles.

Banksy’s Balloon Girl Symbolism

While Balloon Girl appears playful and like everyday graffiti art, sources have suggested that there is more than meets the eye. The Girl With Balloon meaning points to ideas of play, innocence, imagination, freedom, or love and a source of entertainment for the girl.

This leads to the question of if she accidentally let the balloon loose, did she let it go, or is she conversely reaching towards it to grab hold of it?

The above interpretations can symbolize a loss of innocence or hope if the balloon has been lost to the wind. It can also symbolize the idea of dreams and hope, which the girl is reaching towards. Additionally, the balloon appears deceptively just out of the girl’s reach and simultaneously within it.

“There Is Always Hope” 

Balloon Girl by Banksy has been described as a symbol of “optimism” and coupled with the words, “THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE” to the right of the composition, our (the viewers) interpretation is further influenced by what it may mean. We realize that maybe the girl is a symbol for us and of us. We become her and the balloon becomes whatever we want it to be – our hopes, our dreams, our innocence, and even what we have lost. 

Girl with Balloon or There is Always Hope, version in South Bank (2002) by Banksy; Dominic Robinson from Bristol, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This article discussed the stenciled street art Balloon Girl by Banksy, specifically the first version of the girl with a balloon by this mysterious artist. It was created on the staircase wall of the Waterloo Bridge in London in 2002. This charismatic little girl and her balloon featured in several other iterations throughout London, and became an everlasting beacon of hope and inspiration, finding its place in the form of prints and even tattoos.    

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Painted the Girl With Red Balloon?

The British artist Banksy painted the graffiti murals titled Girl With Red Balloon, which are painted in areas throughout London. His earliest version was painted in 2002 on the Waterloo Bridge in South Bank, London in England.

What Is the Girl With Balloon Meaning?

The Girl With Balloon graffiti painting by Banksy, a British street artist, has been believed to explore ideas of dreams, innocence, and love. Additionally, it also symbolizes the idea that there is hope, with the girl reaching for the balloon, and the idea of lost hope or innocence, which is the alternative idea that the girl lost the balloon from her grip.  

What Painting Was Shredded?

The printed version of the street art painting titled Girl With Balloon (2006) by Banksy was half shredded from within its frame during a Sotheby’s auction in October 2018. This framed work was alternatively titled Love is in the Bin (2018), becoming an artwork in and of itself.  

Jordan Anthony( Content Editor, Art Writer, Photographer )

Jordan Anthony is a Cape Town-based film photographer, curator, and arts writer. She holds a Bachelor of Art in Fine Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, where she explored themes like healing, identity, dreams, and intuitive creation in her Contemporary art practice. Jordan has collaborated with various local art institutions, including the KZNSA Gallery in Durban, the Turbine Art Fair, and the Wits Art Museum. Her photography focuses on abstract color manipulations, portraiture, candid shots, and urban landscapes. She’s intrigued by philosophy, memory, and esotericism, drawing inspiration from Surrealism, Fluxus, and ancient civilizations, as well as childhood influences and found objects. Jordan is working for artfilemagazine since 2022 and writes blog posts about art history and photography.

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