Iconic Stencils: Girl with Balloon and Love is in the Bin
Girl with Balloon (2004)
One of Banksy’s most famous and emotionally charged works, Girl with Balloon first appeared on a wall in Southbank, London. A child reaches toward a drifting heart-shaped balloon. The accompanying phrase, “There is Always Hope,” transforms the image from loss into optimism.
The original London mural is no longer visible. But the image continues to live on through authenticated works and museum presentations, including within Moco Museum London’s rotating display.
Love is in the Bin (2018)
In 2018, a framed version of Girl with Balloon self-destructed during a Sotheby’s auction in London. The shredded work was renamed Love is in the Bin, turning the moment into an art world rupture and reinforcing Banksy’s critique of commodification.
Political Commentary: Flower Thrower and Pulp Fiction
Flower Thrower / Love is in the Air (2005)
Originally painted in Bethlehem, this image of a masked protester throwing flowers instead of a weapon has become one of Banksy’s most recognisable symbols. The contrast between violence and peace underscores the artist’s anti-violence message.
The work appears in authenticated form within museum contexts, including Moco Museum London.
Pulp Fiction (2002)
Once painted on a wall near Old Street in London, this mural depicted characters holding objects in place of weapons, transforming a scene of violence into satire. Like many of Banksy’s street works, it has since been removed, becoming part of his disappearing public legacy.
Banksy Works Currently on Display at Moco Museum London
At Moco Museum London, Banksy’s work moves from the street into a curated museum context without losing its urgency.
Visitors can encounter authenticated works such as:
- Girl with Balloon
- Flower Thrower
- Smiling Copper
All artworks are verified for authenticity, and displays rotate over time.
Banksy artworks at Moco Museum London are authenticated and presented within a curated exhibition, with works rotating regularly.
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Lost vs. Preserved: The Status of Famous Street Murals
Banksy’s work was never meant to last. That is part of its meaning.
Some murals, like Girl with Balloon and Pulp Fiction, no longer exist in their original London locations. Others have been removed, conserved, or relocated. Many now live in private collections or museums.
What changes is not just where the work exists, but how it is experienced.
On the street, it interrupts.
In a museum, it lingers.
At Moco Museum London, this shift becomes visible. The work is no longer passed by. It is returned to, reconsidered, and seen again.
Lost vs. Preserved: The Status of Famous Street Murals
Banksy’s work was never meant to last. That is part of its meaning.
Some murals, like Girl with Balloon and Pulp Fiction, no longer exist in their original London locations. Others have been removed, conserved, or relocated. Many now live in private collections or museums.
What changes is not just where the work exists, but how it is experienced.
On the street, it interrupts.
In a museum, it lingers.
At Moco Museum London, this shift becomes visible. The work is no longer passed by. It is returned to, reconsidered, and seen again.
Top 10 Most Famous Banksy Works & Where to See Them (2026)
Top 10 Banksy works in 2026 include Girl with Balloon, Love is in the Bin, Flower Thrower, Smiling Copper, Di-Faced Tenners, Laugh Now, Heart Boy, CCTV, Crude Oil works, and Bullet Hole Bust.
- Girl with Balloon → Moco Museum London (rotating display)
- Love is in the Bin → Staatsgalerie Stuttgart
- Flower Thrower (Love is in the Air) → Moco Museum London
- Smiling Copper → Moco Museum London
- Di-Faced Tenners → Private collections
- Laugh Now → Moco Museum Amsterdam
- Heart Boy → Moco Museum Amsterdam (conserved street work)
- CCTV → Exhibitions and collections
- Crude Oil Series → Museum exhibitions (origin: London, Notting Hill)
- Bullet Hole Bust → Moco Museum Barcelona
Where to find these works in 2026 (Checklist)
London
✔ Moco Museum London → Girl with Balloon, Flower Thrower, Smiling Copper
✔ Southbank → original Girl with Balloon site (no longer visible)
Amsterdam
✔ Moco Museum Amsterdam → Laugh Now, Girl with Balloon, Flower Thrower, Heart Boy
Barcelona
✔ Moco Museum Barcelona → Bullet Hole Bust and selected Banksy works
Other Museums
✔ Staatsgalerie Stuttgart → Love is in the Bin
Private Collections
✔ Di-Faced Tenners and authenticated works held by collectors
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Girl with Balloon still on display?
Girl with Balloon can be seen in authenticated form at Moco Museum London, although artworks rotate. The original London mural is no longer visible.
What is Banksy’s most expensive artwork sold at auction?
Love is in the Bin sold for £18,582,000 in 2021, following its transformation during a Sotheby’s auction.
Where can I see authentic Banksy art in London?
You can see authentic Banksy art in London at Moco Museum London, where original works are exhibited and verified for authenticity.
Closing
Banksy’s work was never meant to stay still.
It appears. Disappears. Reappears somewhere else, in a different form, under different conditions. A wall becomes a memory. A moment becomes a global image.
In London, that story comes full circle.
At Moco Museum London, the work is no longer something you pass by.
It becomes something you return to.
And maybe that is the shift Banksy always intended.