Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/16
By: Sabine Cheng and Chi Jo-yao 

Taipei, March 16 (CNA) A free exhibition featuring “Girl With Balloon” and other art pieces by the anonymous England-based street artist known as Banksy opened on Saturday in Taipei and will run until March 24.

The art display, titled “Banksy: The Authentic Rebel,” is the first of its kind for Taiwan and showcases 25 signature Banksy pieces presented by international auction house Phillips at the art gallery space at Bellavita Taipei, according to the exhibition’s Facebook event page.

Phillips’ International Specialist in 20th Century & Contemporary Art Lee Mei-ling (李美玲) said on Friday that the exhibition featured a screen-print of “Girl With Balloon,” one of Banksy’s most famous works, on woven paper.

Created as a stencil street art piece in 2002, the image of a young girl with her hand stretched toward a heart-shaped red balloon has become a symbol of political protests — such as during the Syrian civil war in 2014.   [FULL  STORY]